Look in the Mirror
by Sharpedge
Summary: A year after the events of the game - Quistis and Seifer are caught up in a deadly struggle in which the people of the present must face up to the demons of the past.
1. Chapter 1

  


Chapter 1   
  
"Somewhere between God and the Devil passion is and the way there is sudden and the way back is worse."  
- Jeanette Winterson, _The Passion_

  
    Rain was coming. Clouds hung in the grey sky over Balamb, and the sea shuddered almost expectantly, awaiting the storm. Seifer Almasy spread his hand and watched the water beneath him through parted fingers. The line of his fishing rod swirled this way and that, caught in the churning waves. Seifer ignored it. He was remembering a time almost a year ago, when he had stood on this pier and watched Balamb garden flying overhead, heading home.   
  
    Time had passed so quickly since then, and Seifer hadn't really known what to do with himself. He had travelled around the world, looking for a place where he could feel alive again, where he could expend some of the vibrant energy that built up in his soul, day by day. No matter where he went, though, it was always the same. Everybody knew who Seifer Almasy was. He was a legend, but a legend of a very different kind to Squall and the others. At first there had been fear. When he visited Timber, news of his arrival spread like wildfire across the town, and he had found himself shunned and avoided. People would part for him on the pavement, staring and whispering as he passed, "That boy's not right." When he travelled to The Sorceress Memorial in Esthar, he found himself surrounded by an entire garrison of soldiers, their quaking squad-commander asking him politely to leave. After the fear came the hatred and the derision. His appearance in Deling drew a sizable mob of hecklers. "Get out of here!" they screamed. "Why aren't you in Balamb with your witch?" The anger Seifer had felt that day had been immeasurable.   
  
    Of course, he knew why they loathed him. He reminded them of a past they all wanted to forget, a past where they had all been seduced by Ultimecia into war with the rest of the world. It was the same with everyone from Seifer's past. He could see it in their eyes and hear it in the silence. _"Ultimecia was destroyed. The world was healed. So, Seifer, why are you still here?"_ He was a bad memory, an angry ghost that couldn't rest.   
  
    Of course, the world had changed since the struggle against Ultimecia. Now that T.V. and Radio transmissions were functioning again, the media had pulled back into full swing. Worldwide communication - something Seifer's generation had never seen, brought events and concerns from around the globe to every home with a T.V. set. People were once again made aware of places other then their hometowns. It was like the world was waking up from a seventeen year old dream, trying to remember who or what it was. Seifer knew he had changed too. He'd had a lot of time to think about what had happened to himself and to the people he knew. When Balamb garden had flown overhead, proud and victorious, he had expected to feel hatred. Instead, he had smiled at the sight. His fingers clenched into a fist, and came crushing down onto the hardwood of the pier. _Yes_, he thought. _You were glad they had won, weren't you? Glad they had survived. Damn you._   
  
    His own proud words to Squall echoed in his ears. "One of these days, I'm gonna tell ya 'bout my _romantic_ dream!" he had said. Seifer had known, even then, that he was willing go to any length to realise what he perceived to be his destiny. Looking back, he realised just how dangerous his passion had been. He had deluded himself with daydreams of romanticism and high-adventure, but all he really wanted was power. Power that would get him noticed, feared, and respected by both enemy and friend. He had never cared where that power came from. If an angel came down and offered him a place in the host of heaven he would have accepted it just as readily as an offer from the Devil himself. Good and evil didn't matter, Seifer had just wanted to fight, to surpass his rival, Squall, and to be able to scream up at the sky that he was _alive_ - a mortal who was ready to challenge the gods themselves.   
  
    But fate had been unkind to Seifer. He had been drawn on the loosing side. Looking out at Balamb harbour and the whitening, restless sea beyond it, Seifer shuddered to think what would have happened if his side had been victorious. It would have meant the total destruction of the world as it was known. Everything would have been drawn into the maddening embrace of time compression. It was nothing less then oblivion, and when the time for its completion had drawn near, Seifer would have welcomed it with open arms. After his final defeat by Squall aboard Lunatic Pandora, he had been consumed with hatred. He would have uncurled his fingers and burned the entire world if he'd had any strength left in his shattered body. As it was, he lay in the darkness, and waited for oblivion to take him.   


* * * *

  
    Instead of facing the end of his existence, Seifer had found himself in a washed out world - white, and drained of colour. He didn't really understand what was happening, but he felt something uncoiling from his mind and slithering into the darkness of the past. The hatred dropped him from its embrace like a spurned lover, and the red haze of insanity that had consumed him for so many weeks was finally lifted. Raijin and Fujin had found him wandering the ghostly remains of Lunatic Pandora, as it drifted aimlessly away from Tears Point. He had still been dazed and confused at that point. They had taken him back to Balamb the first chance they got so that he could recover. He hadn't spoken to them much at first, or to anyone at all. He was prone to spend time lost in thought, staring into space, trying to remember. They had managed to get a couple of properties in Balamb, courtesy of Garden authorities, and moved in there, despite the concerns of the locals. They spent a lot of their time with Seifer, going fishing, hanging out with him, and generally trying to coax the old him back to the surface.   
  
    One particular night, something seemed to snap inside of him. Flying into a rage he pulled Hyperion from its case and began trashing his small house. Paintings, photographs, vases, everything was cut to pieces, pulled off shelves and smashed, or hurled as far as the enraged Seifer could throw them. Investigating the commotion, Raijin and Fujin found him bursting out of his front door and down towards the sea. They had followed, screaming at him to stop, to tell them what was going on. He had stopped on the shore, his breath ragged, and raised Hyperion, pulling it back as if he were about to cast it into the sea. Raijin had grabbed his arm, and Seifer turned savagely to add him to the carnage, but when his eyes rested on his two very concerned friends he had stopped. Hyperion clattered to the ground and Seifer to his knees. He'd said nothing, and Raijin and Fujin had led him slowly and carefully back to his house.   
  
    Since then, the Seifer they knew had re-emerged. He became more outspoken and commanding again. Announcing that he was restless, he'd set off to travel the world. When he returned, almost five months had passed since the Ultimecia incident. At the time, Balamb Garden had returned to its original position, outside Balamb itself, for repairs and a refit. A lot of the staff were away helping with the re-construction of Trabia Garden so Seifer had taken the opportunity to do something he'd been thinking about doing the whole time he had been away. Ignoring the piercing looks he received from SeeDs and trainees alike he strode into the Garden like he owned the place - just like the old days. He waited for one of them to stop him or challenge him but none of them seemed to know what to do. It wasn't long before he was accosted by a face from the past. "Instructor," he had said, a thin smile on his lips. She had appeared to block his route in the main hallway, flanked by a couple of SeeDs. Her expression was cool and impassive. "What are you doing here, Seifer?" she asked, her tone flat and unafraid.   
  
    "Don't worry, Instructor," he said, indicating the long black case he held in one hand. It was embossed with the symbol of the Fire Cross, the martial technique that Seifer had spent many years studying. "This is just a social call."   
  
    Quistis Trepe looked down at the case. "Your gunblade?" she asked.   
  
    "Yes," Seifer replied, simply.   
  
    Quistis' eyes narrowed. "You're giving it in?"   
  
    Seifer nodded. _That transparent, eh?_ he had thought bitterly.   
  
    "Why?"   
  
    "That's my business, Instructor," he said, his smile never leaving his face.   
  
    Quistis had given a signal, and the SeeDs had parted to let Seifer through.   
  
    "I'll need to see Headmaster Cid," added Seifer. "Be sure to get me permission to see him."   
  
    Quistis shook her head and walked over to the directory, opening a Comm.-panel on the side. "Headmaster? This is Quistis. Seifer Almasy is here. Yes, I thought you'd want to see him. I'll send him down right away." She turned to him. "Looks like you're in luck. The Headmaster will see you. His office has been re-located to the first basement level. These two will escort you there," she said, indicating the two SeeDs.   
  
    "Thanks," spat Seifer, his expression and tone indicating a sentiment of the exact opposite. Not waiting for his two escorts to catch up, he headed off for the elevator.   
  
    "It's a shame, Seifer," Quistis' voice called after him. "After all that training you and I went through."   
  
    Seifer didn't answer, he entered the lift and turned to stare at her as the SeeDs caught up with him and entered the code for the Headmaster's office. His eyes locked with Quistis', each trying to read the other's expression. Then the lift doors had slid closed, breaking their gaze, and Seifer had not seen her since. Wordlessly, he had handed in his gunblade to the Headmaster, ignoring the bespectacled man's questions, and then left the Garden as quickly as he could.   
  
    If beset by monsters on the plains of Balamb, Seifer was now seen fighting with a simple machine gun. After a while, he even stopped wearing his distinctive trench coat, and he was never seen using the magic techniques of the Fire Cross again. When a concerned Raijin and Fujin asked him if he was changing his image to hide from the past, they were met only with laughter and cold, harsh words. People still stayed away from him, his legend enduring even as he changed. He managed to get a job in Balamb, holding back a spate of monsters that descended from the northern mountains.   


* * * *

  
  
    A flash of lightning brought Seifer out of his reverie. _And that just about brings us up to date_, he thought. The rain had started, but he ignored it, the water running off his short black jacket in a torrent. He sighed. _It's not as if all this introspection and backtracking does you any good._ He shifted uncomfortably on the hard planks of the pier. _When you open your mouth you're still just the same Seifer Almasy that everyone expects._   
  
    A shout from up-harbour caught his ear and he turned to see Fujin waving frantically. _"What?"_ he shouted over sound of the sea and storm. _"There's something on the T.V. I think you should see!"_ she screeched back. _"Besides, if you stay here any longer you'll be washed away!"_ _This had better be good_, he thought, packing away his fishing rod and, with hunched shoulders, jogging back up the pier towards Fujin and the house.   
  
    He got inside to see Raijin starring intently at the screen built into one wall. Trying to shake himself dry, he looked to see what all the fuss was about. The transmission appeared to be a live report. It showed a newscaster in a location Seifer couldn't discern. The urgent tone in the reporters voice matched the scenes of devastation behind him. Flames crackled into view, and the camera was rocked by the occasional explosion.   
  
    _"...at this stage can't tell exactly what is causing this phenomenon, but Garden representatives are on the scene now. Yes...yes, I'm just getting reports that the famous Squall Leonheart is available for comment and we'll move to him now."_   
  
    The camera cut to an interior location and a very irate look Squall, who'd evidently been shoved in front of the cameras against his will. Seifer caught himself. This was the first time he'd seen Squall since their last, decisive battle. He looked a lot older. His eyes, particularly displayed a maturity that must have come from the responsibility of carrying a legend. An off camera voice spoke. _"Can Garden shed any light on today's shocking events?"_   
  
    Squall shifted uncomfortably, but when he spoke it was with clear authority. "We don't know exactly what caused the duplicate Garden to appear, or where it came from originally."   
  
    _"So this was not_ the _Balamb Garden?"_   
  
    "No. As we all know, Balamb Garden is currently in-station at Balamb itself and has been for the past seven months. We've already confirmed that it is still in position."   
  
    _"What about claims that this incident is not isolated, and that other anomalous portals are opening at points across the globe?"_   
  
    Squall blinked. "I have no idea whether those claims are true or not. What I can say is that all of SeeD is here to combat any potential threat. We will investigate this phenomenon and prevent it from occurring again so that disasters like the one that occurred today do not occur again."   
  
    _"Thank you, sir."_   
  
    Squall nodded gravely and turned to leave. The camera cut back to the original newscaster. Seifer turned to Raijin. "Okay," he said. "What the hell is going on?" Raijin looked up, as if noticing Seifer for the first time. "Uh, somethin' really weird, ya know?" He pointed at the screen. "We were just watching the evening news, and then this guy comes on with a newsflash. Apparently, a duplicate of our old Garden appeared outside Esthar a few hours ago and crashed into one of their super-freeways. Look!" Raijin cried suddenly. "They're showing it again!"   
  
    Seifer turned back to the screen, and was greeted with securi-cam pictures of what looked like a heavily damaged Balamb Garden. It was materializing out of what appeared to be a huge vortex of swirling light and colour. Trailing debris, it banked and listed heavily, careening into one of Esthar's massive freeways. Evidently, the Garden's shields were down, as the impact cut deeply into its armour. Seifer watched, incredulous, as the Garden swung around, carrying a piece of the huge freeway with it, and then, it's anti-gravity failing - crashed into the ground. It tore up huge mounds of compacted earth, the scar in the ground becoming longer and longer as the Garden continued on its rails of destruction. Hitting yet another pylon, it swung to a halt, still wracked with internal explosions. The camera panned back to show the portal diminishing and closing in on itself. There was a low rumble, and then the screen went white. The reporter appeared again.   
  
    _"It was at that point that the Garden's magnetic reactor went critical, destroying the Garden itself and knocking out most of the electrical equipment in southern Esthar. Luckily, few civilians were injured in this incident, but as for casualties aboard the Garden itself, we can only speculate."_   
  
    Fujin came to stand by Seifer. "What do you think this means?" she asked.   
  
    Seifer shrugged. "I have no idea. But one thing I do know is that it's none of our business." He turned meaningfully to face both Raijin and Fujin. "Understand?"   
  
    "But Seifer, that's our Garden, and..." started Raijin.   
  
    _"No,"_ snapped Seifer. "It _was_ our Garden. Hell, it only looked like _our_ Garden anyway. Who knows where it came from? It has nothing to do with us. It's not our responsibility." Suddenly, the T.V. picture turned to static. "Hey," Raijin frowned. "What's up with it?" As he reached for the remote, the lights flickered and went out. The resulting darkness was lit momentarily by a huge flash of lightning. The three comrades looked at each other in confusion as the ground began to shake. A piercing scream came from the street outside. Instinctively, Seifer took charge. "Both of you get back to your house and grab your equipment. I'll meet you outside."   
  
    "Seifer, what's go...?" Raijin began.   
  
    "Now," Seifer commanded, and the two nodded and hurried for the door. Heading upstairs, Seifer pulled his machine gun from its cabinet and swiped plenty of ammo before heading for the door himself.   
  
    The street was in chaos. Many people had fled from their homes when the tremors began and were charging down the street in the direction of the harbour. The slashing rain and crackling lightning only served to heighten the sense of panic that had descended over Balamb. Seifer considered stopping one of them to find out what was going on, but he knew blind flight when he saw it. Looking up the street, he tried to make out what they were running from. Raijin and Fujin arrived and took up battle positions either side of him. The three stared in shock at what was happening just outside Balamb. _"It's one of those portals!"_ screamed Raijin over the din. Sure enough, the boiling clouds and arching lightning seemed to be coalescing into a singular point. It looked just like the portal Seifer had seen moments ago on the television. No wonder people were running scared. _"It's smaller then the other one!"_ observed Seifer. _"Follow me! We're gonna stop whatever's coming through!"_ He began to run up the street. After only a moment's hesitation, his posse followed. 


	2. Chapter 2

  


Chapter 2

  
    The flames were still leaping high into the night sky, colouring it a strange blood red. Squall Leonheart stood, arms folded, staring into the wreckage from a walkway high above the devastation. He watched the fire cast a surreal dance on the plexi-glass in front of him, and tried to come to terms with the oddity of the day's events. Since the defeat of Ultimecia over a year ago, Squall had almost been living in a dream world. Though he and his group were hailed as legendary heroes, Squall had tried to stay away from the spotlight and bury himself in his duties. They had spent a great deal of their time after the war in Esthar. There had still been a lot of monsters present after the lunar cry, and it'd been a good place to get away from the rest of the world and its new hunger for information. When the fighting was over, they had found it peaceful and quiet.   
  
    _Peace is forgotten quickly_, he thought, as the remains of the garden burned below him. It was like looking into a nightmare version of the future. Squall had always feared that this was how they would end up, crashed and burning - dead in a forgotten shell. Now his nightmare was sitting right before his eyes and at the moment nobody could tell him why. Doctor Odine had positively come to life when he heard that a strange phenomenon had disgorged a duplicate of Balamb Garden onto an Esthar freeway. He seemed mildly disappointed that the Garden had been destroyed in the process, but insisted on being rushed to the site where the portal had opened so he could take readings. President Loire had immediately called for Squall and as many other SeeD members as could be spared. It was certainly an unusual situation.   
  
    He could see the various alien looking vehicles of Esthar's emergency services as they milled about the wreckage of the garden. They were trying to get the fires out so that SeeD teams could enter the wreckage and see if there were any survivors. Squall's head swam with possibilities. _If Balamb Garden was duplicated somehow, what about us?_ he mused. _Will we find ourselves inside?_ The remains of the garden were barely recognisable though, and Squall doubted that anything inside was left alive. Regardless, he was to lead the investigation team, which would more then likely consist of SeeDs he'd never worked with before. Selphie, Irvine and Zell were at work in Trabia and Quistis was stationed more or less permanently at Balamb. Rinoa had remained onboard Galbadia Garden, which was en route to Esthar but couldn't hope to keep up with the much faster Ragnarok. Hopefully, the advanced research equipment they'd recently installed in G-Garden would be able to tell them exactly what had happened here. Headmaster Cid had given Squall full authority over the investigation, which Squall was mildly annoyed about. He'd gladly stepped down as Balamb Garden's commander after the war, but quickly found himself called to other positions of responsibility. People seemed to want to follow him. His legend preceded his own persona as if the latter no longer mattered. Sometimes, he just wanted to get away from it all.   
  
    As if confirming this would never be possible, the Comm-set on his wrist let out a beep. He reached down and tapped it. "Squall here," he said flatly.   
  
    "Squall, it's Laguna."   
  
    "President?"   
  
    "I thought I'd better contact you myself. We've received a priority message from Balamb Garden. Apparently they're under attack. A number of SeeDs are being held hostage, including Quistis."   
  
    Squall was caught for a moment, the image of the broken and twisted garden below him was a mirror to the thoughts that flashed through his head. Shaking himself out of it, he turned and began jogging back down the corridor. He spoke into the mouthpiece as he ran. "I'm on my way there now. I'll notify an officer to take temporary charge of this operation. Did the message say who was attacking them?"   
  
    "Yes..." Laguna seemed to hesitate for a moment. "...it's Seifer."   
  
    Squall found himself stumble to a halt. _"What?"_ he spat.   
  
    "I know. I don't understand it either. I mean... none of us talked to him that much but Edea said he was... you know..."   
  
    "Cured?" said Squall, half to himself. He hadn't seen Seifer at all since then end of the war. He figured that there wasn't really much to say to one another, and Seifer had shown no inclination to come back to SeeD. Cid and Edea seemed to think it important that he was left alone. They quietly supported him, secured him and his 'posse' a couple of houses in Balamb. Edea went to visit him once or twice, ostensibly to find out the state of his mind. When asked, she'd smiled softly and said that he was nothing to worry about. _Everybody trusted Matron_, thought Squall. _Looks like she was wrong. So, Seifer, are we going to fight again?_ He broke back into a run. "Thanks President. I'll be in touch."   
  
    "Be careful."   
  
    Squall switched the pad to another channel.   
  
    "Ragnarok?" came the pilot's voice.   
  
    "This is Squall. Prepare the ship for takeoff. Our destination is Balamb. I'll brief you all on the way there."   
  
    "Roger that, sir."   
  
    Squall's head span. It was like the beginning of the war all over again. The world seemed to have been plunged into madness.   
  
    In a matter of minutes, Squall arrived at Esthar's Airport, and the Ragnarok was underway.   


* * * *

  
  
    Seifer charged up the main street of Balamb, Raijin and Fujin in tow. The portal opening on the plains just outside the town shimmered and swirled almost invitingly as they approached. The raging storm was slowly dissipating, being replaced with an eerie calm. Slowing down, Seifer signalled for his posse to do the same, and they took cover near the gas station. Raijin lent forward on his staff. "Do you think anything's gonna come out of this one?" he asked.   
  
    Seifer shrugged. Moving forward, gun outstretched, he approached the town limits and the portal itself. He turned back and appeared to relax. "It's shrinking in on itself already, looks like we're..."   
  
    _"Seifer!"_ shouted Raijin, his eyes widening as something burst from the portal behind his friend. Seifer whirled around just in time to dodge the sweep of a deadly blade, and he was then thrown aside as a massive horse flew past, crackling with residual energy from the portal. Raijin and Fujin took up guard stances as the figure rode unsteadily into the gas station lot. "Odin?" whispered Seifer.   
  
    Suddenly his head was filled with flashing images. His rival before him... the words of a magic spell. He knew what was coming, instinct took over. Hyperion stretched out before him... Odin cut in two by Seifer's own skill and power... _'Hah, I won't go down that easy. Show me what you got, Squall! Let me add another scar for ya!'_ Seifer shook his head and reached up, his hand running over his own scar.   
  
    His attention was suddenly snapped back to the present by another shout from Raijin. He looked up to see Odin's horse rear up and then level itself for a charge. Seifer brought up his machinegun and squeezed the trigger, spraying the ancient Guardian Force with bullets. Odin's sword swished this way and that, the bullets bouncing harmlessly away as he spurred his horse into a charge that would take him into Balamb itself. Except Raijin was in the way. Seifer began to run forward, trying to signal for both of his posse to get out of the way as the horse thundered towards them. Fujin took the hint and back peddled to some cover on the right. Raijin hesitated, then dived towards the gas station as Odin bore down on him. Seifer realised what was going to happen a split second before it did. Raijin had run behind one of the gas pumps, and Odin altered his course to catch up with him, readying his blade for a downward strike. Seifer turned to run as the sword came down, Raijin deftly jumping aside to avoid its swing. It passed effortlessly through the pump, splitting it in two, and Raijin had just enough time to cover himself before a massive explosion ripped the place to pieces.   
  
    Seifer dived out Balamb's main gate and behind the cover of a wall as a roaring fireball rolled out of the gate after him. Heedless of the risk of further explosions, he immediately headed back in towards the flaming ruins, arriving to find that Fujin had got there first. She appeared to be unhurt, but Raijin looked bad. His broken and charred body lay at odd angles on the torn pavement. Though he was still breathing he drew air in ragged irregular bursts. Odin was nowhere to be seen. Fujin seemed torn between tears and outright indignation. _"Stupid!",_ she shouted, checking over Raijin to see if it was safe to move him. Seifer knelt down and fumbled in his jacket for a Hi-Potion. "Lean his head forward," he instructed. Opening the small flask, he poured the liquid into Raijins mouth and watched the familiar glow as it seeped through his body, knitting at some of his more grievous wounds. "What was that about?" asked Fujin. Seifer knew that his expression was hard to read at the best of times, but Fujin had learned what to look out for and could obviously tell that Seifer knew something.   
  
    "That was on old GF named Odin," he said, trying not to be drawn into a conversation he didn't want to have.   
  
    "I know that," replied Fujin, irritably. "We studied him briefly back at Garden. Why is he here all of a sudden?"   
  
    "'Got me."   
  
    Fujin stood up suddenly. "No, Seifer! I saw the look on your face when Odin appeared. What's going on?"   
  
    "I have no idea why it was here. As far as I know, Odin is dead."   
  
    "What?"   
  
    Seifer felt himself snarling and stopped just short of telling Fujin to be quiet. "That's one of the things that Edea wanted to see me about." He busied himself with reloading his gun while he continued. "Apparently, Squall discovered and harnessed Odin's power during his travels, but in our last battle, I managed to destroy him."   
  
    Fujin's eyes widened. "Killed a GF?" she seemed genuinely shocked and Seifer thought he could even see a hint of admiration in her expression.   
  
    "Yeah. Edea said they had a whole team of experts trying to work out what the consequences might be. Apparently I may have caused some kind of imbalance or something like that." He paused for a moment and felt Fujin's gaze on him. He shrugged. "Hey, don't look at me like that. I don't even remember doing it." He trailed off, staring over Fujin's shoulder into the ruins of the gas station. "Or at least I didn't until a couple of minutes ago..."   
  
    "We'd better get away from here," stated Fujin, kneeling down to help her injured comrade. "And we have to tell Garden about what happened. We should visit tommorow"   
  
    "No. There's no need."   
  
    "What?"   
  
    "Odin's left. He made his attack, but without anyone to summon him he's more then likely gone back to wherever the hell he came from. It's no longer a problem."   
  
    "Seifer..."   
  
    "Look Fujin, _I've_ been hired to protect this town, and I'm not going to run to Garden for help every time something nastier then a Bite-Bug turns up."   
  
    "Someone's going to report this," said Fujin, indicating the decimated gas station. "Whether you do or not."   
  
    Seifer ignored her. "Let's just get Raijin out of here before the place immolates itself again." He placed his hands under Raijins feet and went to lift, but noticed that Fujin wasn't moving. He looked up with a questioning look in his eyes and found her staring wide-eyed past him and towards Balamb gate. He frowned. "What is it?"   
  
    "Se...Sei..." she mumbled, and pointed a shaking finger towards the gate.   
  
     Spinning round to see what had left his friend speechless, Seifer was greeted with a sight that left him in a similar condition.   
  
    The portal now appeared to have closed completely, but while Seifer and Fujin had been talking, another occupant had been thrown from it. A figure was pulling itself to its feet in the remains of Balamb gate. It's back was turned to the town, but Seifer realised who he was looking at with gradual dawning horror. The tatters of a white trench coat hung from broad, strong shoulders, the head lifting to reveal a short crop of blonde hair. The blade that hung loosely from the man's right hand completed the image, and as he turned slowly to face into the town, Seifer's suspicions were confirmed. He was looking at himself. "What the..." he murmured. He felt Fujin stand up beside him. Time froze. The new Seifer looked uncertainly about him, seeming to be as confused as his counterpart was. Then his eyes rose upwards, and his gaze fell upon his future self. The two stared at each other for a long moment. Past and present regarded each other in a moment that streched to eternity. Then, suddenly, the past-Seifer grinned, and began to stride towards his double. He laughed as he walked, a humourless, hollow sound. "Another dream, Mistress?" he said, addressing the heavens. "Aren't you giving me a chance to..." he cut the air with Hyperion as he spoke the words, _"Finish this?"_. The present Seifer raised a hand indicating Fujin to back off. He was looking into his own eyes, and he saw murder there. He raised his gun. "Back off," he snarled, images swirling through his mind. Looking into his past, he could see in his own eyes a deadly reminder of the madness that had seemed a part of his soul. He knew this Seifer was capable of anything, even hurting his own friends. True enough, past-Seifer continued his purposeful stride.   
  
    "Another step and I'm shooting," promised Seifer. He didn't hesitate on pulling the trigger when his order was disobeyed. No damage. He groaned inwardly as the bullets bounced harmlessly off the blue disc of a Protect spell. He ran forward to bring the butt of his gun into his counterparts face, but a swift slash of Hyperion had the gun flying from his hands to land, ureachable, many meteres away. Before he could react, a gloved hand closed around his throat and he found himself carried off his feet and shoved bodily into the wall behind him. Struggling, he dimly realised that he had been neglecting his training since the end of the war. His younger self was at the peak of phsical fitness, and had no trouble keeping him pinned in place. Looking down, he saw a look of disgust in his assalants face. Fujin seemed paralised, unsure what to do. The past Seifer turned to her. "Fujin," he said, his voice powerful and confident. "Go ahead and tell me what's going on." He increased his grip on his victim, who began to cough and splutter. "And who is this pathetic impostor wearing my face?"   
  
    "It...it's you, Seifer."   
  
    "Not good enough," he snapped back, his vice-like grip closing further. Fujin reached for a throwing star but realised too late that she was in range of Hyperion, and quickly felt its cold steel at her throat. "I don't think so, Fujin," he said, not taking his gaze off his struggling doppel-ganger. "What I do think, is that if you don't tell me what's going on, whoever this is is going to find themselves _running out of air_."   
  
    Fujin swallowed desperately. "We're not sure ourselves. I think you're from the past."   
  
    This caused him to turn his head and stare down Hyperions blade at her. He scowled, the signs of disbelief lining his face. "Go on."   
  
    "What's the last thing you remember?"   
  
    He snarled and pressed Hyperion further at her neck, as if to enforce his 'I'm asking the questions' status, but he did reply. "Lunatic Pandora. I was just having a little chat with my _buddy_ Squall. Then he decided to summon a GF on me. Now I'm here."   
  
    Fujin nodded, panicking as she remembered the things she and Raijin had said to Seifer just before that fight. "It's over a year since then," she said.   
  
    "Better not be lying," warned Seifer, Hyperion dissapearing from her throat as quickly as it had arrived. He looked over at his counterpart and relaxed his grip, letting him drop to crumple in a heap on the floor, gasping for air. Leaning down, he ripped a watch from present-Seifer's wrist and regarded it critically. "Date checks out," he sighed, before tossing the watch towards the flaming gas station. "Alright, I'll play along for now, Fujin." He looked down at his future self. "You haven't aged well, _Seifer_." He turned back to Fujin, and indicated the crumpled Seifer with the tip of Hyperion. "Is this what I'm to become? A miserable, groveling nothing?"   
  
    "You lost," came a choked voice from the floor. Dragging himself to his feet, the present Seifer faced off with his past. "That fight you've just been whisked away from... you... you were _supposed_ to loose it. Squall and the others went on to defeat Ultimecia. They won, Seifer."   
  
    They stared at one another for a moment, then the past-Seifer spoke up. "And this is what I'm reduced to? Hunting monsters in a nowhere village with a nowhere future?" He grinned at the surprise on his counterpart's face. "Yeah I heard your little conversation before hand. What about your _destiny_!" he shouted. "Guess you've given that up. You've become what I hate the most." He began to back away, the grin turning into a scowl of pure hatred. "You mean _nothing_. Stay in this little town." He cast a gaze towards Fujin. "With your friends who don't give a damn about you." He darted away, heading for a motorcycle that was on display in a damaged show-room. Before the two could stop him, he had started the thing and took off out of Balamb gate at high speed. "Where's he going?" asked an exhausted Fujin.   
  
    "If I know him," said Seifer wryly, "he'll be heading to where he can cause the most havoc. He probably didn't believe what you said about this being the future. Most likely, he thinks this is all a dream or a test."   
  
    "Balamb Garden," stated Fujin.   
  
    "I'm going to stop him. No protests. You stay with Raijin and make sure he lives." After retreaving his gun, Seifer climbed onto a second motor-cycle and started it up.   
  
    "Be careful," called Fujin, as Seifer sped off in pursuit of himself. 


	3. Chapter 3

  


Chapter 3   
  
  
"I could easily start   
pointing fingers   
Since the blame is mine,   
it always lingers   
That the truth it lies in   
my reflection   
Though this can't go on,   
there's no question"   
  
- Type O Negative _World Coming Down_

  
    The road to Balamb Garden was misty and it was getting dark. In a car, Seifer could make the journey in about 40 minutes, but he knew that the man in front of him would be pushing the high performance bike he had stolen to the limit. At this speed the journey would take perhaps 20 minutes, and despite the twilight and the returning rain, Seifer was determined to keep up with his past self. The rain slashed indiscriminately, washing the road in a haze of water, and stinging Seifer's visorless face as he sped along. The bikes headlight lit up the road in front of him, turning the mist and rain into a white barrage of shape and light. As the darkness barrelled past him, his thoughts churned and he tried to make sense of what was going on.   
  
    More then anything, Seifer was angry, but that fury refused to be pinned in place or find a direction. Granted, he was angry at himself, but in this situation that sentiment had many meanings, and Seifer wasn't sure he could be bothered with picking apart all the strands of thought in the back of his mind. All he was focused on at the moment was catching up with the man that had almost strangled him to death and making him pay for it. At least, that was the theory. He also admitted to himself that he didn't like the idea of this impostor Seifer messing about in Balamb Garden. _As if there's going to be a problem,_ he thought. _There're people in that Garden trained to fight entire armies, a Seifer with a chip on his shoulder will be no problem. I'll probably turn up just in time to see those self-righteous SeeDs wipe the floor with me for the hundredth time._ He stared out into the winding darkness before him, fixing his eyes on the road. _Another defeat,_ he thought, his mouth creasing into a snarl. He gritted his teeth, pulling hard on the accelerator, and shouted a cry of aggression into the uncaring night.   


* * * *

  
    She was standing on water, and it stretched out as far as she could see in every direction. Her feet rested on the liquid surface as if it were solid ground, tiny ripples travelling outward where her skin touched the otherwise unmoving blue. She had always loved the sea, and knelt down to touch it. Her loose blonde hair fell softly over one bare shoulder as she dipped her hand slowly into the liquid. She wondered vaguely why she was standing in the middle of an ocean in her nightgown, but a voice, her own, whispered from somewhere _You're dreaming, Quistis, just dreaming..._ and she lost herself in the moment. _Blue,_ she thought, her fingers spreading through the cool water. She could feel the pent up energy of the sea, stretching restlessly and endlessly. Thoughts that felt strange and almost alien washed through her mind. _My magic,_ she thought. _Is this me?_ The sun reflected brilliantly from the shimmering water. Quistis supposed she would have been blinded if this were not a dream. It seemed so beautiful, yet she felt... _Alone._ Another voice spoke up, unfamiliar. _The sea is treacherous, Quisty. One minute it's the prettiest thing in the world, the next, it swallows you whole. Beware of yourself._   
  
    _What?_ she shouted, standing and appealing to the heavens. _Always the same dream! Why?_ Suddenly the sky darkened and waves began to crash about her. She knew what was going to happen and closed her eyes as the water gave way beneath her and she plunged into its icy depths. _I should wake up soon... so cold... can't breath! Never felt this before!_ She gasped and her eyes snapped open. The first thing she noticed was the shining metal of a blade glinting in the darkness from its position at her throat.   
  
    "Hello Instructor," said a voice from the shadows.   
  
    "Seifer?" asked Quistis. She tried to keep her voice calm and collected while her head span with worried possibilities. "How did you get in here?"   
  
    "No, no. No expositions today," Seifer's voice sounded cold and angry. "Get up. Slowly."   
  
    Quistis began to rise from the bed, the pressure of Seifer's gunblade on her throat was kept constant, and Quistis doubted should could get even the first few words of a spell out before Seifer had a chance to react. As soon as she was in a sitting position, she felt Seifer grab her right arm and twist it behind her back.   
  
    "Stand up!" he shouted.   
  
    "What are you doing, Seifer?" she hissed, a note of pain and fear creeping into her voice. She was groggy from sleep and her usual nightmare, but her SeeD training was quickly kicking in. She wanted to know what Seifer was doing and what had prompted this sudden change in behaviour, but more importantly she needed to think her way out of this situation.   
  
    "Here's how it's going to work, Instructor," he said. "We're going to play a game of hostages and demands. A classic scenario. In just a moment you are going to make a call from your comm panel to the Headmaster and demand that a path be cleared from here to the reactor control room. 'Cleared' means no guards, no security doors and no defence systems. Got it?"   
  
    Reigning in a growing sense of panic, Quistis spoke with as much confidence as she could muster, she was quite surprised at how calm she sounded. "What if I refuse?" She felt the gunblade press more urgently at her neck.   
  
    "I'll kill you, Instructor," replied Seifer, evenly. "I'll kill you, and then as many of your precious friends as I can. They might be able to take me out eventually," he leaned closer and whispered in her ear, "but think about how many will be dead before they do."   
  
    "I don't understand. Why are you doing this, Seifer? Edea said you were..."   
  
    _"Shut up!"_ roared Seifer, pushing her towards the comm station at her desk. "Make the call. Any tricks, Instructor, and it's the end of the line."   
  
    Quistis began pushing the buttons that would activate the console and raise the Headmaster. Seifer knew what he was doing, she was right-handed, and having her good hand pressed against her back meant she had to push the keys slowly and carefully. She could feel Seifer watching every movement behind her, and decided that she would have to play along for now.   


* * * *

  
    Balamb Garden had become something of a legend since the end of the war. Despite damage to the hull, and a number of system failures the garden had toured most of the planet before coming to rest in Balamb. As it turned out, the damage had been a lot more severe then had been anticipated, and a special 'dry dock' was built outside Balamb so that the garden could undergo a complete overhaul. Debate raged as to whether it should revert to its role as a stationary place of learning, or continue as a mobile staging ground for SeeD's forces. In the end, a compromise was struck. Technology was brought from Esthar to make the garden more reliable and combat ready, while larger Hydroponics and recycling facilities were to be added to cope with a mobile student population. At the end of its re-fit, Balamb Garden would hopefully serve as both a place of learning and deployment, along with the recovered Galbadia Garden (and Trabia when it was completed). The dry dock consisted of four massive pillars that supported the garden's bulk and allowed technicians access to its complex underside. The gravity circlets had been returned to their position at the top of the garden, rendering it immobile for the time being.   
  
    The engine of his motorcycle screaming in complaint, Seifer pulled up outside the garden. He kicked the machine, now sure that he had chosen an inferior model to that of his counterpart. The Seifer of the past was nowhere to be seen. It was possible for vehicles to enter the place via a ramp that ran up the pillar on the far right, but Seifer was sure he wouldn't enter the garden that way if he were intent on causing trouble. A cursory scan of his surroundings confirmed his suspicions when he found his counterparts bike discarded in some undergrowth. Steeling himself against the worsening rain, Seifer started to run up the main steps that would lead him to the garden's front entrance.   
  
    Even through the slashing water and reflected light from the garden's bright illumination, Seifer could see something was wrong at the gate and wondered if his past self had already got himself caught. As he approached the gate, however, he was greeted by the sight of six drenched and very nervous looking SeeD candidates who were peering into the darkness. Their hands were clasped on the hilts of various martial weapons, and Seifer was greeted with a wall of blades when he stood out of the darkness. "Who goes there?"   
  
    "I don't have time for this, kid," Seifer replied. "Tell headmaster Cid there's..." he paused. "...An infiltrator in the garden with hostile intent. Tell him I need to..."   
  
    "It's him!" a female cadet shouted suddenly. She stepped forward and Seifer was mildly shocked to find that she was wielding a gunblade. "What are you doing out here?" she cried. "Where's Quistis?"   
  
    "What?" said Seifer, groaning inwardly as he realised what was going to happen.   
  
    "Surround him!" she ordered. The Cadets fanned out hesitantly and formed a circle. Seifer looked around him and then back at the girl giving the orders.   
  
    "You're making a mistake," sighed Seifer, sounding, intentionally, rather bored.   
  
    "Not another word! Drop your gun. Slowly!"   
  
    "SeeD," muttered Seifer under his breath as he begrudgingly unholstered his machine gun and placed it on the ground. "Still following orders like robots eh?"   
  
    The girl scowled at him. "Stow it, traitor," she spat.   
  
    Seifer tried to bite his tongue but couldn't help himself. "Oh my bleeding heart. I've never heard that one before," he snarled.   
  
    The girl ignored him and touched the comm set on her wrist. "This is Celine at the front gate. We have him." She paused for a moment as the reply was delivered to a microphone in her ear. "No, Quistis wasn't with him." A frown creased her features as she listened again. "But that's impossible, sir. He's standing in front of me! ... I see. Right away sir." She touched another button and looked up at Seifer, then at the rest of the cadets. "We're to escort Seifer to the headmasters office on the double. Move it!" She grabbed Seifer by the shoulder and pushed him towards the garden. He shook it off and, ignoring her sounds of protest, strode into the garden, cadets in tow.   


* * * *

  
    During the day the bowels of Balamb Garden would be full of technicians working away at the various systems and new facilities, but an eerie silence was the only thing present as Quistis and her captor made their way through the dark metal corridors. So far the journey to the magnetic reactor had been un-eventful. Seifer had sprung another surprise during the conversation with the headmaster, and ordered that three SeeDs be present to man the reactor controls. He had completely ignored any questions about his intentions, but had repeatedly warned that any attempt to get in his way would result in loss of life.   
  
    The layout of the garden had been somewhat re-worked after designers suggested structural improvements, so the route to the reactor room was somewhat more direct. However, Seifer seemed in no hurry to get there. Quistis was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. Hyperion had almost cut into her several times, and Seifer seemed unwilling to relax the gunblade even slightly. Furthermore, with no machinery on it was very cold in the gardens lower levels. With only her nightgown on Quistis was certainly beginning to feel the temperature. She had been silent for most of the journey, not wanting to provoke Seifer into any rash action, but as she turned over various possibilities in her mind, she resolved that any information would be helpful at this stage and decided to speak up. "This doesn't make sense, Seifer," she stated. "There's nothing you can do in the reactor room. It's offline. The garden can't take off until the pillars are prepared for removal."   
  
    Seifer scoffed. "Still the same mediocre instructor, eh? Never thinking beyond the next order. SeeD is all the same. You can never understand." He stopped, pushing the gunblade harder and forcing her to raise her head. _"Never!"_ he whispered harshly, before pushing her on again. "Take you, Instructor."   
  
    "I'm not an Intsruc..   
  
    "Just like everyone else you've spent your life searching for a role. Relying on people to define you. The 'big sis' of the orphanage. The stern and 'gifted' instructor." His voice took on an even more condescending tone as he continued. "The victim of _puppy-dog_ unrequited love," he laughed. "All vapour. You never took control of your own destiny. Why? Because you, like the rest of the people in this sorry world, have no will of your own. You need guidance. Well now I'm _giving_ you a role, Instructor. You are to play the hapless damsel in distress."   
  
    "Seifer, I..."   
  
    "Don't tell me that a part of isn't loving this. The part of you that had to watch Squall run around after helpless little Rinoa day after day."   
  
    "I see you haven't moved on after all," replied Quistis, her voice calm and tinged with sadness. His words had hit her in all the right places, but she refused to back down. She'd always wondered what she would say to Seifer had he come back to cause trouble again, and now she found herself speaking with little regard to her own safety, as if possessed. "We all make mistakes, Seifer. We learn from them and move on. I was never your biggest critic but I'm beginning to see what everyone was talking about." She realised that her words were causing him to tense up behind her but something made her continue. "You can't let go, you can't accept defeat. You don't learn from your mistakes, they just make you more and more angry until you go out of control."   
  
    She winced as Seifer stopped again and drew himself up. Instead of a tirade of shouting, however, he began to laugh. A hollow, chilling sound that seemed well at home in the cold interior of the gardens guts. "My dear Instructor," he said between peels of laughter. "Do you really think I care what _you_ of all people think?" He laughed again. "And I thought I was supposed to be the one with delusions of grandeur."   
  
    "Seifer, you are..."   
  
    "Be quiet. We're here."   


* * * *

  
    Headmaster Cid pushed at the bridge of his spectacles and blinked. "Well. My, my. I've certainly never heard of anything quite like this before. Are you saying that this Seifer came through a portal like the one that appeared over Esthar?"   
  
    "Yes. It wasn't as big as that one, but it looked similar." Seifer sighed and fidgeted irritably. He was still flanked by two of the SeeD cadets but they were now stood in Cid's office with the Headmaster himself and Edea. A lot of the people in the room looked bleary eyed, and the unmistakable aroma of strong coffee hung in the air. Evidently, garden hadn't expected to be caught with its pants down and most of them must've been gotten out of bed by the impostor-Seifer's demands. They were all watching his progress through security cameras that were tracking him to the reactor room. At the moment he and Quistis appeared to be having some sort of discussion, but the headmaster had explained apologetically that the sound system still had a few bugs that needed working out. Whatever they were saying remained unheard.   
  
    Edea looked up at Seifer and narrowed her eyes. Seifer met her gaze and had to choke back a wave of emotion that threatened to consume him. _So beautiful..._ said an interior voice from the past. _My sorceress. I must protect her... always._ Trying not to show any outward discomfort, Seifer attempted to shake the flashback. If anyone in the room noticed him waver it would be Edea, but from the discussions she and Seifer had already had, she understood the strange bond they both felt. Patiently, she spoke to him. "Did anything else come through the portal, Seifer?"   
  
    _Damn,_ he thought. _As perceptive as ever. I don't want to be here all night answering questions._ "Yes," he replied reluctantly, "but that situation is now under control. This one isn't. I'll be happy to talk all you want about what happened after I've dealt with..." he pointed at the monitor screen. "With him."   
  
    The Headmaster shook his head. "If this Seifer really is from the past there's no telling what he'll do. I can't risk Quistis at the moment. We'll have to wait and see what he wants."   
  
    Seifer leaned over the desk, evidently irritated. "You may be happy to sit on your hands while that maniac runs around in the bottom of the garden, but I'm not. Think about it. I'm the perfect person to deal with this. Let me go after him."   
  
    "What's your motive here Seifer?"   
  
    "I don't need a motive. You need him stopped and I can do it."   
  
    "You've never been particularly keen to offer us your help in the past. Why now?"   
  
    Edea placed a hand on her husbands shoulder. "Cid..." she whispered, frowning.   
  
    "I'm sorry," replied the Headmaster, his gaze remaining fixed on Seifer. "I've already sent a message to President Loire. Squall and a team of SeeDs are on their way back here. In the meantime I'm going to try and resolve this situation peacefully."   
  
    Seifer exploded. _"Haven't you learned anything?"_ he shouted slapping his hands on the desk. _"There will be no peaceful way out of this! The man on that monitor doesn't care what happens to Quistis, or to you, or to anyone! He lives in a world where dreams and reality merge, where everything seems meaningless and he is trapped. There is NO WAY OUT, not for him and not for us! Whatever he's decided to do it will involve pain, loss of life, carnage! And waiting for bloody Squall and your precious SeeDs only helps his plans on their way! Do I make myself clear?"_   
  
    A heavy silence descended on the room and Seifer felt the gaze of every occupant on him. Wide-eyed, Cid seemed speechless. Edea looked at him with a mixture of anguish and concern. The SeeD candidates shifted nervously. Still nothing was said. Seifer glanced at the monitor screen and saw that Quistis and past-Seifer had made it to the reactor room. He leaned back and folded his arms. "All right," he said, suddenly calm as ice. "I see you've made your decision."   
  
    Suddenly the SeeD candidate on Seifer's right cried out in pain and doubled over as a lightning fast elbow strike connected with his face. The second candidate, Celine, grabbed for her gunblade as Seifer pulled at his machine gun on a strap around her shoulder. He ducked under an arcing swing of her blade and ripped the gun off. Darting to the right he avoided another powerful swipe and brought the butt of the gun into her chin. She sprawled to the ground, unconscious, and Seifer turned to point the weapon at Edea and Cid. He could see that Edea was preparing a spell and aimed the gun at the Headmaster, knowing that she couldn't protect her husband and launch an offensive spell at the same time. He started back up towards the lift.   
  
    Edea looked at him plaintively. "I know why you want to fight, but there's no need for any of this."   
  
    Seifer continued to back off. "I'm going to do what I have to. Those two'll be fine. Just watch out for me on the monitors."   
  
    Edea and Cid looked on as Seifer touched a button on the lift and stepped between the double doors.   
  
    "You know I can do this," he said, as the doors sliced shut between them. 


	4. Chapter 4

  


Chapter 4

  
  
    The Ragnarok shot through darkened clouds at several times the speed of sound. In the on-board briefing room, Squall clicked the comm-monitor off and sat back in his chair. _This is getting complex._ he thought, trying to figure out what to do. His conversation with the headmaster had not gone well. The older man had looked very shaken up, and had tried to explain that there were somehow two Seifers loose in Balamb Garden. One was a Seifer from the past who had captured Quistis and was making demands, the other was the present day Seifer, who had resisted capture and gone off in pursuit of his past-self. _Why does this sort of thing always happen to me?_ mused Squall. He would have been tempted to laugh at the absurdity of it all if there weren't lives in danger. Apparently, Edea had gone off in pursuit of the present Seifer. That was what, understandably, had the Headmaster so worried.   
  
    His mind wondered over the possibilities and repercussions, and his thoughts turned inevitably to Rinoa. She knew that something was going on at Balamb that Squall had been called away to deal with. Squall had asked Laguna to be as discreet as possible with the specifics, however, and hoped that Seifer's involvement in the situation could be kept form her until he had resolved things. He knew that Seifer had hurt her more then once. _And I'll be damned if I let him hurt her again,_ he thought. He and Rinoa had spent as much time as possible with each other since the end of the war. After the sabbatical in Esthar, they had both moved to Galbadia Garden to help cement the unification of the three SeeD centres. Closer relations were now possible because of the re-emergence of radio signals, and Squall kept in regular contact with Headmaster Cid, as well as his old companions who had gone to re-build Trabia. Regular meetings between the new Garden officials meant that the organisation kept a unifying objective and purpose in mind. SeeD was still essentially a mercenary army but the moral strictures behind it's contracts were now carefully monitored.   
  
    Though he wouldn't like to admit it, Squall missed Balamb and it was the same for Rinoa and Timber. She would always look on the positive side of things, though, and refused to let herself or Squall be depressed by being away from their friends. She said that being in G - Garden reminded her of when Squall told her about his pendant, Griever. At the time, Squall didn't understand why that was so important to her, but he was beginning to now. The more he understood Rinoa, the more he understood himself. It was something new for him, and he still had trouble admitting, even to himself, that he needed someone else, but it was still an incredible feeling. _No Seifer,_ he thought. _Past or present, you can't come back and find things exactly the way they were. We've changed. It's time you did._   


* * * *

  
    "I remember you."   
  
    "You do?"   
  
    "Ni... N... it was 'N' something, right?"   
  
    "Nida."   
  
    "That's great. Okay Nida, you've caught me in a good mood. You SeeDs've been sensible for once and done exactly as I've asked. If this continues then I'll remain in a good mood, and I won't have to do anything unpleasant to our little bargaining chip here." Seifer's voice rang out clearly through the cavernous interior of Balamb Gardens magnetic reactor. Quistis stood helpless before him, the blade of Hyperion almost cutting into the flesh of her throat, one arm pressed painfully into her upper back. "You four are going to do exactly as I say," continued Seifer, nodding to the four SeeDs that had been assembled by his orders in the engine room. "If you disobey my orders or so much as question me, blood will be spilt. Is that clear?"   
  
    The SeeDs looked at each other nervously.   
  
    "I said, _is that clear?_" demanded Seifer.   
  
    The SeeDs nodded and made murmurs of ascension.   
  
    "Alright. Good. Nida, since I remember you, I think you should have the pleasure of starting things off. Go activate the reactor and get things warming up. You other two are to take up positions at the Gardens override controls, and you," said Seifer pointing to the last SeeD. "You can operate the comms pannel should I wish to talk to the Headmaster." There was silence for a moment.   
  
    Nida stepped forward and spoke up. "Seifer, we can't activate the reactor now. If we do, the gravity circlets will return to the lower position and destroy the repair pillars that..." He was cut short by a sharp intake of breath from Quistis. Blood slowly trickled from beneath Hyperion. Nida looked up to find Seifer staring right into his eyes. He tried to hold the gaze but couldn't, the hatred and madness in them driving him away.   
  
    "I'm only going to tell you once more," hissed Seifer. "Activate the reactor. Do it now."   
  
    His mind reeling with the enormity of what he was about to do, Nida headed towards the control panel and signalled for the other SeeDs to take up position as Seifer had instructed. He was thankful that the late hour meant nobody would be working in the support pillars. It was highly likely that the gravity circlets would chew them up like a gigantic trimmer cutting grass, but there was likely to be heavy damage to the Garden too, particularly since a lot of the repairs were yet to be completed. He hoped that the Headmaster would come up with something soon. Being forced to co-operate with a clearly unstable Seifer was like a nightmare come true.   


* * * *

  
    Dr. Kadowaki re-checked her emergency medical bag and then sipped nervously at a cup of coffee. She looked out into the main infirmary and watched as a couple of flustered SeeD candidates tried to marshal the Gardens child population into safe positions. The kids had been there since the intruder alert had been raised, the Headmaster ordering that they be kept safe at all costs. Kadowaki didn't blame his caution. If Seifer was truly on the loose again there would be no predicting him, and it certainly wouldn't be the first time that her healing hands would have to repair a product of Seifer's rage. Setting her cup down she got up and paced towards the window, looking out into a wet and windy night. During the day the view was nothing short of breathtaking. The Garden was surrounded mostly by forest and rolling grassland, and her office window looked northwards over the Alcaud plains. The Gardens position on the raised pillars meant that she could see over the forests and far to the north, with the dramatic ranging peaks of the Gaulg mountains visible in the distance. However, with the weather as it was she could barely see past the exterior lights, the rain slashing a criss-cross of movement over the hazy glow.   
  
    She found the view disconcerting and turned to go back to her desk. As she did so she heard a collective murmuring from the infirmary and realised that a low rumbling sound was emanating from the bowels of the Garden, slowly getting louder. A few of the children yelped as the whole place began to shake and rattle. Suddenly the internal comm system activated. "Attention all personnel," came the Headmaster's voice, barely audible over the increasing din. "This is a Garden wide lock-down. Please take all necessary precautions and brace for a possible impact. I repeat..."   
  
    Kadowaki didn't need telling twice. She pushed open the door to the infirmary and instructed the children to stay calm. The SeeD candidates were rushing around and closing all the electronic shutters on the windows. One of them, a girl Dr. Kadowaki recognised as a member of Balamb's Ice hockey team, turned to make sure she was out of earshot of the kids and then whispered to the doctor. "This is going to get serious, isn't it?"   
  
    "I'm not sure what's going on. We just have to concentrate on keeping the junior students safe and well. If we can get..."   
  
    "Doctor!" the second SeeD candidate called, alarmed, and pointed to a window. The occupants of the room watched as the unmistakable spinning shapes of the Garden's massive gravity circlets descended slowly past the window, weaving the glowing blue of a magnetic shield above them, and singing with the musical hum of barely suppressed power.   
  
    Dr. Kadowaki eyes widened in horror as she realised what was going to happen when the circlets reached their destination. "Close that window's shutters!" she said, darting forward. "Everybody get down!" Just as she said this, she heard the screaming of tortured metal from just below the Garden. The sound of the gravity circlets died for a moment, and then began again, a high-pitched whine. Realising she wasn't going to reach the window in time, Kadowaki dived to the floor.   
  
    The glass of the window bulged for a split second and then shattered as Balamb Garden was wreathed in an incandescent ball of flame.   


* * * *

  
    "Captain Leonheart!"   
  
    Squall looked up from a monitor on the bridge of the Ragnarok. "What is it?" he asked.   
  
    "We've just got the Garden in visual range..."   
  
    "Okay..."   
  
    "Sir, there's... oh my..." With the click of a button the pilot brought up a super-imposed image over the glass bubble of the cockpit, and the whole room was bathed in swirling oranges and yellows.   
  
    Exclamations of shock and horror filled Squalls ears as he too tried to take in what he was seeing. "What the hell's happened!" he heard himself shout. "Get a reading on the Garden, now! I want to know if there are any survivors! Pilot, bring us in closer and then hold position."   
  
    The SeeD at the controls of the Ragnarok's scanners pushed a few buttons and then frowned. "Sir," he said. "I can't get any kind of reading... some kind of fluxing magnetic field is jamming the sensors... wait... that could mean that..."   
  
    Suddenly the floor lurched violently as all manner of warning sirens cried out from various sources around the bridge. "Something just hit us, sir," called the pilot over the din. "At speed. I think it was debris of some description. We've sustained heavy damage to the starboard docking claw and minor damage to a few other systems."   
  
    Squall grit his teeth, determined not to let everything go to pieces around him. Just as he was about to issue another order the flames in front of them parted and the hulking shape of the Garden pushed it's way through the inferno, trailing fire and debris. "Get us out of here!" he shouted to the Pilot.   
  
    With pieces of its right side falling away to bounce harmlessly from the Gardens shielded carapace, the Ragnarok climbed up to a safe altitude. The people on board watched the Garden, helpless for now, as the massive vehicle headed south, wobbling uncertainly, the cloud of dust and flame it left behind still hiding the secret of the support-pillar's violent destruction.   
  
    Pushing a few controls, Squall opened up a comm-channel with the Garden. "This is Squall onboard The Ragnarok hailing anybody who is able to answer, please respond." He tried to remain calm and stop his imagination from wondering the possibly decimated halls of the school, but as only static greeted him hope began to ebb away. He turned to the pilot, who was still wrestling with the Ragnaroks controls. Squall found himself wishing that Selphie were there instead, and the thought surprised him. "Can you follow the Garden?" he asked.   
  
    "I think so sir," answered the pilot, waving away a cloud of smoke pouring out of an overloaded console, "but we'll need to set down for repairs in about an hour. The damage to our starboard side has caused a coolant leak. If we don't land soon then our engines will overheat and we'll fall out of the sky."   
  
    Squall slammed his palm into some panelling and grunted in frustration. _If we'd have been here even five minutes earlier..._ His thoughts were interrupted as the comm-station beeped. He strode over to it and was relieved to find it was a transmission from the Garden. His relief turned to anger as he received the transmission, and the screen lit up with the view of a hatefully familiar face. Everyone on the bridge stopped what they were doing and looked up.   


* * * *

  
    The Seifer of the present day watched his past-self with growing fury. He had used the commotion of the Gardens lift-off to sneak undetected into the engine room where his counterpart was holed up, and was now hidden behind some machinery close to the engine control console. He had hoped that all the rolling and shaking combined with the explosion of the support pillars would given him an opportunity to attack, and free Quistis without risking harm to her. However, true to form, past-Seifer had stood like a rock in a stormy sea, holding Quistis an immobile captive. Though he had never been one for subtlety, the present-Seifer knew that if he made even a small slip up here then the price would be too high, and so he watched and waited, looking for the right moment to strike. The past-Seifer was currently ordering one of the SeeDs to open up a comm-channel to the Ragnarok, which had apparently arrived at the Garden moments after the explosion. A screen in the engine room lit up with Squall's scowling visage. Past-Seifer spoke up. "Well, well, well. I should have expected you, eh?"   
  
    "Shut up, Seifer," snapped Squall, "I'm not talking with you until I know every last person on that Garden is safe."   
  
    "No, no, no," replied Seifer slowly. "That's not how it works at all." He pulled Quistis' face into view of the camera.   
  
    "Squall, forget me!" she shouted suddenly. "You have to stop Seifer before...ahh!" Her speech was cut off by Seifer letting her arm go and closing his now free hand around her throat. He laughed at Squalls angry and helpless cry of alarm.   
  
    "Get the _picture_, Squall? Let me state this in black and white. If you try anything - like boarding the Garden, shooting at us, calling re-enforcements - anything dumb like that, then she and everyone else I get my hands on, dies."   
  
    "What do you want Seifer?"   
  
    "Ohh... that would be telling now wouldn't it. You know, Quistis asked me the same question a while back." He looked down at her. "Why don't you tell him what I said, babe?"   
  
    Quistis' eyes narrowed in barely contained fury. She knew that if she tried to speak with Seifer throttling her it would just come out a gurgle, so she remained silent.   
  
    Seifer laughed. "No? Okay." He looked back up at the screen. "I guess she's not feeling that talkative." He pulled his hand away from her throat and pinned her arm again.   
  
    While Squall continued to interrogate and threaten past-Seifer without success, present-Seifer began edging his way round to try and get behind the main control console. If he could get that close, then maybe he could wrestle Quistis away before his counterpart had time to react. Gripping his machine gun and trying to stick to the shadows, he quietly made his way around. Just as he was nearing the console, his foot knocked against an open engineers toolbox that had been left from work during the day. A tool fell out and clattered on the metal grating that made up the engine room floor. Seifer froze and looked up. He breathed a sigh of relief as he realised that his double hadn't heard the noise and was still busily trading insults with Squall. He still felt uneasy, however, and soon realised why. As he looked down he saw Quistis' stark blue eyes lock with his. _You can see me can't you?_ thought Seifer, almost willing the thought to be transmitted to her. He nodded at her, slowly, a movement of acknowledgement. She narrowed her eyes slightly. _Of course,_ he thought. _She doesn't know about the two of us... but surely she's heard about the duplicate of Balamb Garden?_ He carefully reached out and pointed at the Seifer keeping her captive, and then at himself, shaking his head as he did so. It was the simplest gesture he could think of, but she seemed to understand. She nodded almost imperceptibly, trying not to give her captor any indication of the movement.   
  
    Present-Seifer looked around the room to see if any of the other SeeDs had noticed him, but they too appeared to be concentrating on the screen. He looked back at Quistis and shrugged. As he watched, her eyes flicked urgently downward to indicate something, and Seifer followed her gaze to her free left hand. She was holding out five fingers. Suddenly Seifer tensed up as he realised what was going to happen. A finger disappeared. Four. He looked down and checked his gun, wishing for the first time in a long time that he had Hyperion with him, his gaze shot back up to her hand. Three. Past-Seifer snarled and tightened his grip on Quistis, but it seemed to be in response to Squall's probing insults, and the count continued. Two. Present-Seifer focused himself, calling upon long forsaken training. All that mattered was the moment. All that existed was Seifer, his counterpart, and Quistis. One. There was no time to figure anything out. It was down to instinct now. Seifer's last thought before he charged forward was a new and confusing one. _I hope I don't let her down._   
  
    Quistis' hand clenched into a fist, and then suddenly her elbow was forced hard and fast into her tormentors chest, causing him to splutter in surprise and stagger back. Present-Seifer closed the gap between him and his double in a matter of seconds, but those seconds seemed to him to be an eternity, and it was in those seconds that all hell broke loose. 


	5. Chapter 5

  


Chapter 5   
  
  
"May this my course through life portray   
New scenes of wisdom may each step display   
And knowledge open as my days advance!   
Till what time Death shall pour the undarken'd ray,   
My eye shall dart thro' infinite expanse,   
And thought suspended lie in Rapture's blissful trance."   
  
- Samuel Taylor Coleridge, _Life_

  
    It had been a long night. The inhabitants of Balamb, tormented by a supernatural storm, had retreated to the docks. They returned to find the east section of the town lying in ruin, evidently destroyed by an explosion in the gas station. Raijin and Fujin were found wounded, huddled together in Balamb Hotel. They were questioned, and then allowed to fall into a fitful sleep. A meeting was called between several of the adults in the town to try and decide what to do. Balamb Garden wasn't responding to any sort of communication they tried to make with it, and Fujin had mentioned something about Seifer Almasy heading there. It was then that Ma Dincht decided to wake Zell in Trabia with a late-night transmission, and like a stone falling into a pond, the events taking place in Balamb slowly and inevitably made ripples that touched the ends of the world.   


* * * *

  
    Shortly before dawn, the people of Balamb were again disturbed by the sound of something overhead. Emerging from their homes, they peered into the still-black sky and made out the familiar shape of the Ragnarok as it descended shakily towards the outskirts of the town. Ma Dincht was amongst those who went out in the pouring rain to investigate the aircraft, once it had made a rather ungraceful landing just north east of the place. It was a sorry sight; the starboard side of the ship was mostly in ruins, with the dragon-like docking claw missing altogether. The engine housing too, was clearly in need of repair, with parts near the exhaust literally dripping from the ship due to intense heat. Rain hissed and evaporated on contact with it, and small short-lived fires lit up where globs of the Ragnarok touched grass. Sadly, the sight seemed almost at home in Balamb's ruined eastern quarter.   
  
    The people that had gone out to meet the craft milled about uncertainly, confused as to what the Ragnarok's presence meant, and worried that, for several minutes, nobody had emerged from it. Ma Dincht sent one of the younger kids back to get in touch with Zell again and tell him exactly what had happened while she stayed and eyed the Ragnarok with a mixture of suspicion and concern. Just as people were beginning to seriously consider breaking into the craft, there was a huge crash. The port side door mounted on the Ragnarok's neck assembly slid outward, teetered for a moment, and then fell to land smoking on the ground below. For a moment the hatchway was empty, then there was a flash of black and grey as the figure of Squall lunged from the smoke above to land competently next to the remains of the door.   
  
    Ma Dincht rolled up her sleeves and peered at him thought the slashing rain. "Squall!" she called, already sounding exasperated. "Just what on earth is going on around here?"   
  
    Squall looked up and Ma Dinct was taken aback by the determination in his eyes. "I need a transport," he said, brushing irritably at scorches and burn marks that lined his clothing. His gaze wondered over to the smoking remains of Balamb's gas station. He paused, some of the urgency seeping from his bearing and being replaced with shock. "What happened here?" he asked.   
  
    "I was hoping you could tell me!" said Ma Dinct, throwing her arms in the air and shaking her head. "We've had a hell of night, what with these strange storms, and then the gas station blowing up. Raijin and Fujin had something to do with it! I knew those pair were no good from the moment I set eyes on them, and when I heard they were moving back into Balamb - and that Seifer too, well..."   
  
    "Mrs Dinct," said Squall, cutting her rant short, politely but firmly. "I'm going to leave a few SeeDs here to repair the Ragnarok and question Raijin and Fujin, then I'm going to take one of Garden's high speed transport vehicles out to sea..."   
  
    "But..."   
  
    Squall waved her away and began to stride towards the port. _I don't have time for this,_ he thought. _Lives are in danger._   


* * * *

  
    In truth, Squall had no idea what had happened on the garden after his 'conversation' with the past-Seifer. He had seen Quistis begin to struggle, there was the sound of shouting and even gunfire, and then the link had gone dead, refusing to be patched through again. Squall had kept the Ragnarok in the air, circling the garden as it's gravity circlets propelled it slowly, and evidently aimlessly, south across the Alcaud plains. Repeated attempts to hail the garden had met with no success, and Squall reasoned that their comm-system must have been damaged by the explosion. The Ragnarok had trailed the Garden forlornly, but as it reached the Rinauld Coast, the pilot had informed Squall that the engines had reached a critical level of heat and they would have to set down. Inwardly cursing the plain bad luck that had led to a coolant leak, Squall had broken off the pursuit and radioed the garden forces in Esthar. Though Squall liked to deal with problems on his own terms, this was fast becoming a situation he knew he couldn't handle on his own.   
  
    For the moment, however, he was alone. The Ragnarok wouldn't be taking to the air anytime soon, and the only way Squall could think of getting quickly to the Garden was to use one of SeeDs fast-deployment sea vessels, assuming that it had continued on it's course out to sea. Though he hadn't been in one since that fateful exam a year ago, he had recently looked over some blueprints for them. One of the modifications to Balamb Garden was a module that housed and maintained sea vessels for use and deployment from the Garden itself. The same modification had been proposed for Galbadia Garden. Squall knew that only one person was needed to pilot the vessel, and he hoped his basic training was enough to get him where he wanted to go.   
  
    Ignoring the questions of Balamb's bewildered inhabitants, Squall made his way down to the docks, and the special holding where the vehicles were kept. As he approached the hatchway to one of the vessels, and activated it with an encrypted command from his wrist-set, he heard a voice behind him.   
  
    "HEY!" it said.   
  
    Squall turned to see Fujin standing on the dockside, squinting at Squall through the rain and the faint light of the coming dawn. He considered just getting in the craft and leaving, but paused when he saw her evidently concerned expression.   
  
    "IS... is Seifer...?" The question died on her lips as she saw the look in Squall's eyes. It was obvious he was as much in the dark as she. "Take... take care of him, please?" she said. Before Squall could reply, she turned and ran back towards Balamb.   
  
    It was only when Squall was sat at the controls that he began to wonder which one she was referring to.   


* * * *

  
    Headmaster Cid froze in the doorway of the engine room, the sight before him taking a few moments to sink in. This was exactly what he had feared. After present-Seifer had escaped capture, Edea had insisted on going after him, and when Cid had shown reluctance she had taken off on her own. All thoughts of going after her had been momentarily forgotten, however, when the Garden was rocked by a massive explotion, and Cid had been forced to organise search and rescue teams to safeguard the Gardens confused and scared inhabitants. Eventually, he had gathered a team of SeeDs and set off for the engine room. It seemed though that this was too little, too late.   
  
    The SeeDs flanking him fanned out and entered, but he barely registered their movement. Trying to keep a clear head, his eyes scanned the place. "What happened here?" he asked aloud. He noticed Quistis kneeling by the prone form of one of the SeeDs that had been sent down to the engine room earlier. She appeared to be administering medical attention, but looked up as some of the SeeDs approached her. "Headmaster," she said, relief showing clearly in her troubled eyes. "We've been trying to reach you but the comm system is down, we need to call..."   
  
    "Where's Edea?" he replied, cutting her off with an uncharacteristically harsh glare.   
  
    "That's what I was trying to say, we need to call Doctor Kadowaki up here right away."   
  
    "Why? What's happened to..." his voice trailed off as some movement at the far end of the engine room caught his eye. It was one of the Seifers, his short jacket revealing him as the one from the present. More important was what Seifer was leaning over. "Edea!" exclaimed Cid, his voice an emotional conglomerate of fear, shock and anger. He strode towards Seifer and his prone, obviously injured, wife. Raising a finger and pointing at Seifer, he addressed the SeeDs in the room. "Arrest him!" he ordered.   
  
    Quistis looked up again. "No wait!" she said. "It's alright, Seifer helped me."   
  
    "I don't care what he did here!" raged Cid, still advancing on the object of his fury. "He was told not to come down here!" Though he was answering Quistis' question, the sentiments were clearly directed at Seifer.   
  
    All the SeeDs in the room turned to watch as Seifer stood up from his position at Edea's side and Cid barged past him, kneeling beside the Sorceress and taking her hand in his. His eyes narrowed in sympathy and anguish as he took in the nasty looking gash that ran down the side of Edea's torso. She had lost a lot of blood, but evidently Seifer had bound the wound somewhat. "Oh my..." he whispered. "Edea... Edea, can you hear me? What happened?"   
  
    Though she was still slightly lucid, she could barely speak. "Cid," she whispered, before letting out a groan of pain and slipping further into unconscious.   
  
    _"Get Doctor Kadowaki up here now!"_ Cid said, barely controlling the emotion in his voice.   
  
    "Headmaster," began Seifer.   
  
    "Don't even start Seifer. If you hadn't charged off by yourself none of this would have happened."   
  
    "I did what had to be..."   
  
    "You did what you wanted to do! You were selfish, and someone else paid the price, as usual! Do you know why Edea went after you? She believed in you, she thought you had changed." Cid gestured to the crumpled form on the floor. "Look how her trust was rewarded!"   
  
    Seifer glanced up as the SeeDs began to encircle him. He looked back down at the Headmaster. "What happened here can't be undone, but I can stop the... the other me... before he does even more damage," he said.   
  
    "What? He escaped? Where did he go?"   
  
    "I don't know, but if you let me go after him I can..."   
  
    "No Seifer!" Cid looked up, his face full of anger and resolve. "You've done enough damage." He turned to the SeeDs surrounding them. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to put Seifer in the brig until further notice," he ordered. He turned back to Seifer. "I suggest you don't try struggling this time. It'll be better for all of us that way."   
  
  
  
    Seifer's eyes darted over to where his gun lay several meters away. It had been flung from the battle by his counterpart and was now out of reach. No luck there. The people encircling him were no SeeD candidates either, they were the real thing, and it was unlikely Seifer would be able to best even one of them in his current condition. He was cornered. He raised his hands in surrender. "You still have no idea what you're dealing with, do you?" he asked flatly, unconcerned at what the answer might be, knowing what the truth was.   
  
    Wasting no time the SeeDs moved in and pulled his hands roughly behind his back, slapping handcuffs around his wrists.   
  
    "Wait!" called Quistis, hurrying over to the group of SeeDs. "I know how this looks, but this isn't Seifer's fault." She shook her head. "I mean, it isn't _this_ Seifer's fault."   
  
    "I understand what you're saying Quistis," replied Cid. "But you don't know all of the factors at play here. I'll de-brief you when you've gotten some rest and the Garden's been stabilised."   
  
    "No sir," said Quisitis, almost surprising herslef with her defiance. "Seifer's right. We have to act now. This double of his is extremely dangerous and could be in any part of the Garden by now. With all the internal monitoring down we've no way of keeping tabs on him."   
  
    Cid ignored her. He looked up at the SeeDs holding Seifer. "You have your orders," he said.   


* * * *

  
    Quistis was about to protest again, but the room was suddenly filling with people. A very flustered looking Doctor Kadowaki came running in with a medical bag and a couple of assistants, and immediately rushed to Edea's side. SeeDs milled this way and that, some of them trying to deliver damage reports to the Headmaster, others asking one another the same question. "What has happened?"   
  
    Quistis waved away the myriad of questions flung her way, but accepted a warm blanket handed to her from the busy throng. She tried to follow Seifer as he was taken to the brig but could hardly get close. To her surprise, he turned and looked back, his eyes finding hers. Expecting to see anger and hatred burning there, instead she saw only worry and sorrow. Noticing that she held his gaze, Seifer blinked and narrowed his eyes. It was almost a questioning look. Quistis again tried to push her way forward, but when she looked up again Seifer had been dragged away. She looked down, wondering what she should do next, and realised that she was still carrying something very important. Stepping out of the mass of people and into a quiet corner, Quistis raised the blade and examined it in the light. _Hyperion,_ she thought, her mind playing back the events of the past few minutes. It seemed like an age ago that she had made the decision to try and escape capture, and the events that had occurred in those few minutes had changed things forever. She knew the Headmaster would want to know exactly what had happened when it was convenient for her to tell him, but right now he had other things on his mind.   
  
    The Headmaster cleared his throat. "May I have your attention everyone," he said, his voice ringing out clearly to every SeeD present. He stood up, leaving Edea in Dr. Kadowaki's care for the moment. "For reasons unknown, Balamb Garden has suffered an attack by a duplicate of Seifer Almasy." Murmurs spread throughout the room. "I know what you are all thinking, but we haven't yet confirmed if this is related to the incident in Esthar. In any case, this Seifer remains at large. With most of the critical systems down we have no way of tracking him, so I need double the repair detail and guards posted at every crucial location. All those left over, including SeeD candidates are to patrol every section. If you find Seifer, call for back up and wait for it to arrive before you do anything," he paused and looked at all the anxious faces around him. "One more thing. It seems the Garden is currently drifting south, out of control. I need qualified pilots and engineers to help bring it to heel. Those with the necessary qualifications are to report to the bridge. I'll be giving these orders out over the PA system as soon as it's back online, but you'll have to spread them by word of mouth until then. Get it done people."   


* * * *

  
    The high speed vessel jumped and rolled on troubled seas, it's engine pushed to the limit. Inside, Squall clicked the monitor off, ending what seemed like the hundredth conversation he'd had over the Comm-system that night. Since he had boarded the sea vessel at Balamb Harbour, he had been contacted by Zell, then by a very angry Rinoa, then by Zell again, and finally by President Loire, wanting an update. All of them had been extremely worried and hungry for information. Unfortunately, Squall had very little to give them. He'd had to persuade Zell to stay where he was for the moment until they'd worked out what exactly was going on in B-Garden, figuring it would take a fair amount of time for him to get down from Trabia without transport anyway. Rinoa, however, had been inconsolable. She was in turns angry at Squall, for keeping things from her, and overjoyed that he was safe, at least for the moment. She had insisted on taking G-Garden out to rendezvous with it's Balamb counterpart and Squall couldn't argue with her. If things really were serious, then G-Garden was the only real tool they had for interception and salvage.   
  
    Still, the two had argued slightly, Squall insisting he didn't know that things were going to get this bad and that he didn't want to see her hurt - Rinoa insisting that being kept in the dark hurt her more then Seifer ever could these days. In the end they had reluctantly ended the conversation, pledging to see each other soon.   
  
    A whine from the console in front of him brought him back to the present. It was a proximity warning. There was no way to look out of the armoured cockpit of the new style vessels, as there was no physical link between it and the outside world. However, a set of exterior sensors provided the pilot with a computer generated image of his or her surroundings, and it was this function that Squall now utilised. _Found you at last,_ he thought. Looming out of the rain filled darkness before the vessel, was the hulking form of Balamb Garden. Just as Squall started pondering how he was going to get on board, the comm-pannel beeped again. He had to contain his astounding relief when Headmaster Cids face appeared on the monitor.   
  
    "Are you alright?" asked Squall immediately, his head spilling with questions. "What happened in there? Is anyone hurt?"   
  
    "There's no time for that now!" replied the Headmaster urgently. "You need to watch out! We just restored power to our main systems and someone immediately stole one of the sea vessels in the new dock module!"   
  
    "Seifer," said Squall. It wasn't a question. _Damn,_ he thought, as the proximity warning went off again. _I'm too late,_. He watched as the sleek form of the stolen boat darted from the far side of the garden and span round behind his own ship. _Move!_ he though, pushing the vessel to maximum throttle and trying to veer round. Though it could barely be heard over the roar of the sea, Squall had just a few moments to make out the sound of heavy machine gun fire before an almighty booming sounded at the rear of his craft, signifying the end of his engines. He slammed his fist onto the control console, knowing that Seifer had wanted to cut off any pursuit, and that was exactly what he had done. Adrift and helpless, Squall could only watch in rear-view as Seifer's rain soaked form slipped back through the hatch to the machine gun turret. His craft turned almost lazily about, pointing into the black void of the open ocean, and then sped off into the darkness. 


	6. Chapter 6

  
  


* * *

  


For Alonia.

  


* * *

  


Chapter 6   
  
  
"Water is my eye   
Most faithful mirror   
Fearless on my breath   
Teardrop on the fire of a confession   
Fearless on my breath   
Most faithful mirror   
Fearless on my breath"   
  
- Massive Attack, _Teardrop_

  
    They sat together. She was curled lazily in his arms, his coat providing a comfortable blanket for them both as he stared out into the lake. She stirred a little and mumbled to herself in a hazy afternoon slumber. Looking down, he chuckled softly to himself. "Hey," he said, punctuating the word by shaking his leg a little. "You aren't nodding off on me are you?"   
  
    "Mmmm," she groaned, her eyes fluttering open and then narrowing in the bright sunlight. "At least I _was_... meanie."   
  
    "Why did you want to come here if all you're going to do is sleep?"   
  
    "Like I said, it's beautiful here. I just wanted to show you, that's all."   
  
    "We should probably head back," his voice switched to a more condescending tone. "If you're feeling all tired." He grinned at her as she rolled her eyes skyward.   
  
    Pouting fiercely, she wrinkled her nose. "Quiet you," she said, rolling off him and springing to her feet. "I just thought it would be nice to spend some time by the lake, you know... away from everyone else." She twisted her dark hair into a pony tail and then looked down at him. "I thought you'd like it here."   
  
    His eyes scanned the glistening blue once again. "Well, yeah, it's nice and all," he said gesturing towards it. "But it's just a... a place." He shrugged.   
  
    "I know that, but it's... it's part of my home, so I guess it's sort of important to me."   
  
    He remained silent.   
  
    "I know my father's in Deling and all that, but I've never felt at home there. Timber feels so much like home to me."   
  
    He looked suddenly deep in thought, his eyes locked on the lake but his mind's eye evidently elsewhere. "How do you tell something like that?" he asked eventually.   
  
    "I don't know really. The place just feels special, it feels kind of... _right_. I have a lot of friends here, and when I come back from visits to Deling, and they say 'Welcome home', I know they're right... I'm home."   
  
    He snorted. "I wouldn't know about that."   
  
    "What about the orphanage?"   
  
    He remained silent for a few moments. "Yeah, well," he said, his brow furrowing. "I didn't exactly get on well there."   
  
    "Yeah?" she said, her expression becoming playful once more. "I'll bet you were a right bully!" She stuck her tongue out at him as he turned to her.   
  
    A wry grin returned to his features. "You're damn right I was." He lunged for her, and she squealed as his arms encircled her waist, his fingers tickling across her ribs. She fell back, giggling, as he continued his onslaught, the two of them rolling around on the grass. She squirmed away, retreating to the bank of the lake as he strode after her. "Hey, hey," she laughed, holding her hands out to ward him off. "I have something else I wanted to tell you while we were here."   
  
    "And what is that?" he asked, flashing his eyes at her dangerously.   
  
    "I'm..." she looked embarrassed for a second and then nodded to herself. "I'm starting up a resistance group." She looked up at him to gauge his response.   
  
    He arched an eyebrow. "What sort of resistance group?"   
  
    "Well, you know I was saying how Timber is important to me?"   
  
    "I think I can vaguely remember something about that," he smirked.   
  
    "Yeah very funny. Well, anyway, I want to liberate Timber from Galbadia."   
  
    He looked at her for a moment. "You're serious about this aren't you?" he asked.   
  
    She pulled her hands behind her back and nodded.   
  
    "Think you can handle it?" he said, folding his arms.   
  
    "I have other people who are interested, and some equipment stowed away. We'll start small and work our way up. Besides, if I can handle you, I can handle anything, right?"   
  
    He threw his head back and laughed. "I guess so," he said, still chuckling to himself. "But," he whispered, narrowing his eyes. "I'm not sure you've got me quite under control yet."   
  
    She yelped as he leapt at her, his strong arms wrapping themselves around her waist as he span around and began to drag her backwards into the water. "You wouldn't dare!" she screeched.   
  
    He rolled his eyes. "Well, now that you've dared me..." He lifted her bodily from the water and turned, dunking her into the steadily deepening liquid.   
  
    She squealed again, thrashing her arms and legs and sending water flying in all directions.   
  
    Standing back, he watched laughing as she struggled to get her footing. His laugh quickly turned to a shout of surprise, however, as he found his legs swept from under him by a leg she had thrust out. The two of them struggled to their feet, soaking wet, and laughed at each other. He took her in his arms, slowly wiping away the water that trickled down her beaming face. "So what are you going to call this resistance group then?" he asked.   
  
    "The Forest Owls," she said triumphantly.   
  
    "That's a stupid name, you know that?"   
  
    She stopped his mischievous grin with a kiss.   
  
  
    Later, once the sun had dried their clothes, they lay together and watched it set, casting swirling hues of colour over the surface of the lake and the horizon into which it was descending. She glowed beside him, more radiant then a morning sun and he turned to her, placing his lips on hers.   
  
    She kissed him, and then stroked a hand over his cheek. "Welcome home, Seifer," she whispered.   


* * * *

  
    _Welcome Home._   
  
    The words appealed, a forlorn voice from his dreams, and fell suddenly, silently into his heart. His eyes snapped open and he knew that sleep would not come to him again for some time. The bunk that he had been provided with in the brig was not overtly uncomfortable, but neither was it the lap of luxury. He had slept lightly, troubled by flashes of the events preceding his arrest and by the usual tirade of nightmares that still plagued him one year on. He hadn't wanted to sleep, but when it became apparent that nobody was coming to see him any time soon, the fact that he'd had no sleep for over 24 hours began to ware on him.   
  
    Now he sat, wondering what was in store for him, whether SeeD had captured his counterpart, and what had become of Squall and the others. He watched, vaguely amused, as the SeeD assigned to guard his cell eyed him warily from time to time, his twitching fingers never far from the sword he wore at his belt. Seifer swung his legs off the bunk and stood up, once again taking inventory of his possessions. They had of course taken his gun, and the jacket containing his ammo. He was left wearing a pair of steel-toed boots, some black trousers, and a tight white t-shirt. They had even insisted on removing his belt, much to Seifer's chagrin. All in all, he wasn't in any position to escape. The reinforced and electrified bars that lined one wall of the cell saw to that.   
  
    Just as he was about to slump back down on the bunk in frustration, he heard the door to the brig slide open. A quiet voice dismissed the guard, and Seifer watched as the space before the bars was filled with a familiar figure. "Squall," he said, his tone flat, unquestioning. This was the first time they had been face to face in over a year. "So," said Seifer, sitting down and leaning back on his bunk. "You're looking well for a hero. What can I do you for, Mr. Leader?"   
  
    "Long time no see, Seifer."   
  
    "Wow. You even do small talk these days? What happened to the 'lets get down to it' Squall I knew and loved?"   
  
    "I'm surprised you haven't tried to escape yet."   
  
    "I'm _surprised_ you're lowering yourself to speak to a humble civvy like me, but hey, I'll contain my shock if you will."   
  
    Squall sighed and shook his head. "If I let you out of that cell, will you co-operate with us?" he asked.   
  
    "Guess that's it for the small talk. Still you're improving."   
  
    "I don't have time for this."   
  
    "That's a real shame Squall," Seifer said, leaning forward and locking eyes with his old rival. "You know, you wouldn't have all this bother if that Headmaster of yours hadn't had me locked away for no reason."   
  
    "Quistis told us what happened in the reactor room. I wanted to hear the story from you as well."   
  
    Seifer frowned and then his lips twisted up into an amused smirk. "Well, well," he said. "The instructor bailed me out, huh? That's a first." He paused and appeared to consider this for a moment then raised his eyebrows. "Well, technically, what with all that went on in there, it's a second."   
  
    "Wow," said Squall dryly. "You're even grateful these days." He reached over and clicked the control for the cell bars.   
  
    With a slightly surprised look on his face, Seifer was led out into the hallway. The Brig was situated in the upper corridor of the Garden, and Seifer was able to look down over the railings as Squall led him towards the newly installed briefing room. Below him he could see dozens of SeeDs and SeeD candidates milling about on the lower level. Evidently the explosion had caused the large fountains and pools that dominated the central section to crack, flooding the area. The place was soaked in water, with many people wading around up to their waists in it. "That's a hell of a mess," observed Seifer.   
  
    "Uh-huh," agreed Squall, ignoring the gasps and murmurs of surprise coming from passing students. The two remained silent for the remainder of the short journey, and Squall stopped outside of a door that used to lead to the disciplinary room.   
  
    "Hey," said Seifer, frowning. "What have they done to my favourite room?"   
  
    "It's moved," murmured Squall, seeming distracted. He punched a few numbers into a keypad and the door slid open. "Come inside," he said.   
  
    Seifer whistled as he stepped into the room. The old disciplinary room had been stripped away and replaced by a lushly appointed chamber dominated by a long table constructed from fine wood and glass. The table was lined with almost two dozen comfortable looking leather chairs. The far wall was covered by a large computer screen that was currently displaying the damage that had occurred to various sections around the Garden. At the table, look slightly dwarfed by the large room sat Headmaster Cid, a SeeD Seifer recognised as Nida and Quistis Trepe. All three looked up as he and Squall entered the room.   
  
    Cid cleared his throat and indicated a chair across the table from the three of them. "Please take a seat Seifer."   
  
    "Forget it," said Seifer, folding his arms. "I'm not going to be sat down and grilled by some holier-then-thou SeeDs. You don't have any jurisdiction over me," he glared at the Headmaster. "And I have nothing to say to you."   
  
    Squall walked over to the group and pulled out a chair, sliding into it and sighing. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a few moments and then looked up at Seifer. "All right then," he said shrugging his shoulders. "We're sending a vessel out to Balamb to pick up some supplies. You can go back with them." He nodded. "Good to see you again, Seifer." With that, he pivoted away on his chair, and began talking to Quistis in a hushed voice.   
  
    Genuinely shocked, Seifer stood for a few seconds wondering if Squall actually meant what he had said, or whether he was just playing on Seifer's pride. _Ah forget it,_ he thought. _If they're going to play with me like this they can screw it. I can solve this mess with or without Garden._ Just as he turned to leave the door made a bleeping noise. "Come in," called the Headmaster without looking up. Seifer stood back as two SeeDs struggled in. They carried between them a large clear plastic evidence bag. Inside the bag was a piece of equipment that Seifer instantly recognised. The SeeDs shuffled past him and placed the fairly heavy machinery on the table.   
  
    "This is all we found, Sir," said one of the SeeDs, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.   
  
    "Oh no," said Quistis, shaking her head.   
  
    "What is that?" asked Cid, a quizzical expression on his face.   
  
    "This is what we found when we went after Seifer's..." he sneaked a quick glance over his shoulder at the Seifer standing behind him. "I mean the er... 'Past-Seifer's' stolen sea vessel. We found it floating in the water a few miles south-west of the Garden."   
  
    "It's the assembly that contains the vessels tracking device," explained Squall.   
  
    Cid sighed. "Thank you," he said, addressing the two SeeDs. "There's nothing you could have done. Help as much as you can with the cleanup and then get some rest. Dismissed." He watched the SeeDs as they saluted and made their way out, and then his gaze fell upon Seifer, who hadn't moved. Cid raised his eyebrows. "Still here?" he asked.   
  
    "I know what you're trying to do," replied Seifer. "I'm not about to walk out of here if I you can help me stop this double of mine. I think I've already proved my intentions as far as that's concerned."   
  
    "You have indeed," replied Cid. "And though I may have been a little harsh on you earlier, your intentions still resulted in my my wife being in the infirmary."   
  
    Seifer's features noticeably softened. "How is she?" he asked quietly.   
  
    Cid cleared his throat. "The Doctor says she's stable, but very weak," he replied gravely.   
  
    Seifer shook his head and then slammed his fist on to the table in clear frustration. "Alright," he said, looking up sharply. "We have to catch this guy. Now. I don't like the idea of working with SeeD any more then you like the idea of working with me, but I want him stopped, and you need my help to do that." He scanned the faces in the room, hardly believing his own words. _What am I doing?_ he thought. _I'm playing right into their hands aren't I?_ He watched as Headmaster Cid nodded slowly. Squall looked impassive and seemed to be waiting for the headmaster to speak. He was surprised to find the ghost of a relieved smile playing on Quistis' lips. Nida, however, was unreadable.   
  
    Cid eventually spoke. "I understand your reluctance to work with us Seifer, and I am prepared to give you the leeway that I believe you need to function, but it has to be give and take."   
  
    Seifer sighed but found himself nodding slowly. "Alright," he agreed. "Just remember that I'm not a SeeD, or a candidate." He stared momentarily at his old mentor, his eyes intense. "I'm not going to be pushed around."   
  
    Cid simply nodded. "Are we all in agreement then?" he asked the occupants of the table. "Seifer Almasy is to work with Garden until this situation with his double from the past is resolved."   
  
    "I don't see a problem with that," nodded Squall. Seifer knew that there were other thoughts racing through the dark-haired man's mind as he spoke, but he seemed to be earnest enough.   
  
    "I have no objections," said Quistis, folding her hands in her lap and shooting Seifer a quick, unreadable glance.   
  
    Nida simply nodded.   
  
    "We can't move anywhere until Galbadia Garden gets here," said Squall, noticing Seifer's tensed frame. "So you might as well sit down."   
  
    "Oh come on. There must be something else we can do!" said an exasperated Seifer.   
  
    "Right now, what we need is information," said Cid levelly. "So what I'd like you to do is it down and tell us what happened in that engine room."   
  
    Reluctantly, Seifer slid into a chair at the opposite end of the table.   


* * * *

  
    He chased the darkness, his ship evading the piercing rays of the sun as it rose in Balamb. Inside, the control console was attempting to inform him that the ship was no longer emitting a tracking signal, and that he should report to the nearest garden for repairs. His mind, however, was no longer in the cockpit. His thoughts had run on empty ever since his escape from B-Garden. The finding and removal of the tracking equipment had been done almost without thinking. But then, he was used to that. Sometimes he could accomplish things with very little effort of will, almost as if he was a spectator to the horror that was unfolding around him. Or was it horror? He wasn't sure any more. Things seemed to occur without falling into categories of good or bad, right or wrong. All he could feel was the raw passion tearing at him, gnawing constantly even when he tried to rest, impelling him on and on.   
  
    Yet something was missing, he could feel that more strongly then any other sensation. His mistress was not here. She would no longer send him the dreams, she would no longer taunt him, touch him, make him love, make him hate. For some reason, she was gone. His memory cast about mistrustfully in the events of the past 12 hours. He knew exactly what he had been told, and how he felt, but could he believe it? Why was he here then? Why didn't the madness go away...? He felt it there still, something coiled insidiously in his mind, something that endured even though his mistress had fallen.   
  
    _Maybe..._ he thought. _Maybe with her gone I can stop...?_ He clutched his head and tried, for what seemed like the hundredth time, to clear it. _Why won't you ever leave me be?_ he raged inside his mind. _Why can't I come back to myself?_ The pain worsened. His heart raced as his mind clouded and his thoughts were smothered with a terrible, seeping red. _No,_ he resolved. _I can never stop. It never ends. I have failed, fallen. I will teach the world my pain..._   
  
    Abruptly, he lurched from the seat before the control console and made for the ladder in the next compartment that led to the gun turret. Climbing it, he undid the hatch and the cabin was filled with the sound of roaring air and with the rain that still poured from the skies. Ignoring the wind that buffeted him as the vessel sped along, he climbed out and stood on the turret.   
  
    He was a rock in the howling gale, the remains of his trench coat billowing out like the wings of an angel. The rain soaked him to the core, and flew, borne from him, by the winds. Surveying the bleakness of the dark, open sea, he found his heart inflamed and yet almost un-beating. Raising his arms to the heavens he screamed his challenge, his promise. _"I will show the world my pain!"_   
  
    The craft carried him, then. Technology speeding an unnatural, unwanted presence to its fate. A dark and unforgiving void waited for him.   
  
    _Welcome Home._   
  
  


* * *

  
  
**A/N:**Just in case you haven't been checking my profile, I'd like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to everyone who has shown interest in this fic. I'm very glad to know that my work is entertaining people. Thank you to everyone for your support. 


	7. Chapter 7

  


Chapter 7   
  
"This world does not want me   
This world does not care   
And I am a product of this world   
Confused, I'd say that's fair   
This pain will never leave me   
It's scared upon my brain   
Destroying everything that brought this   
Just to keep me, just to keep me sane"   
  
- Machine Head, _The Rage To Overcome_

  
    Headmaster Cid carefully placed his glasses on the briefing table and rubbed at the bridge of his nose. "All right Seifer, let's start from the very beginning."   
  
    "The beginning of what?"   
  
    "You mentioned that there had been some incidents in Balamb before you arrived at Garden," elaborated Cid. "And Squall has given us a report which states that much of Balamb has been heavily damaged. What exactly occurred?"   
  
    Seifer sighed and shook his head, his eyes floating over to one of the windows that looked out onto the seemingly infinite stretch of ocean surrounding the Garden. "It all started just before nightfall this-evening," sighed Seifer. "A portal similar to the one that opened over Esthar appeared near Balamb's main gate. Raijin, Fujin and I went to investigate. At that point Odin emerged from the portal."   
  
    Squall raised his eyebrows. "Odin?"   
  
    Seifer nodded. "Yeah, I... I got a few flashbacks when I saw him... I'm not all that clear on what happened back in Lunatic Pandora..."   
  
    Squall looked to Quistis, who nodded. She then turned to Seifer. "I don't know how much you remember from your classes about Guardian Force theory Seifer," she said, her voice warm, not condescending like Seifer remembered. "Odin was, or is, a particularly odd GF. After we found him in some ruins in Centra, he refused to be Junctioned and so none of us could summon him. He would only appear in battle when he wished to." She leaned back on her chair, folding her arms lightly as she continued. "When we faced you on Lunatic Pandora, Odin arrived at the battle before we could do anything... but you seemed to turn his power against him and defeated him."   
  
    Seifer raised his eyebrows slightly but still refused to meet her gaze.   
  
    "Not only that," chipped in Squall, "but after Odin's death his sword was collected by a GF none of us had ever seen before named Gilgamesh. It seems that he doesn't belong in this world, because he mentioned something about a 'dimensional interval'. Communicating with him has been almost impossible since, but we are working on it."   
  
    "All this forms the pieces of a very interesting but very problematic puzzle," nodded the Headmaster. "So, Seifer, we'd like to hear what happened to you, and then maybe we can work towards fixing this mess."   
  
    Seifer nodded, his eyes now moving to over the assembled group as he began to speak. "Odin attacked us right after his appearance, and ended up destroying the gas station. He disappeared right after that. Just as we were recovering, Fujin and I noticed that the portal had left one more thing before it closed..." he spread his arms, his lips twisiting into an ironic grin. "Me."   
  
    Silence descended momentarily over the room as they all contemplated this. Squall then nodded. "It makes sense," he said. "You and Odin were close at the time, so I guess you'd be taken through together, particularly if you were just about to kill him."   
  
    "The question is," said Nida, "Taken through from where?"   
  
    "A good question," replied Cid, "but not one we can dwell on right now. Please continue Seifer."   
  
    "There's not much else to tell," sighed Seifer, rocking back in his chair and looking at the headmaster levelly. "The other me took off on a bike heading for Garden and I followed him here. You know the rest."   
  
    "Not exactly," said Squall. "I'd still like to hear your version of what happened in the engine room after my communication got cut off."   
  
    Seifer stole a glance at Quistis, but her eyes were cast down towards the table and her expression was again unreadable. "All right," he said, sighing in resignation. "While you and the past-me were talking, Quistis gave me a sign that she was getting ready to try something. When she did I charged forward and tried to overpower my double, but things didn't go too well. He disarmed me and, to cut a long, we ended up playing hide and seek in the east section of the engine room."   
  
    "That's the area with the pressure valves and check points for the Gardens various pipe fed systems," explained Quistis.   
  
    "Yeah," said Seifer. His lips had curled up into an irritated snarl at the memory, but now his expression softened. "Meanwhile, it seems that Matron... Edea... she'd gone and retrieved my gunblade from the armoury. She tried to return it to me but he - my past-self - he got to her before I could..." he frowned and stared fixedly at the veneered table in front of him before he continued. "I went to help Matron, but my split persona had other ideas."   
  
    _He was going to kill you both,_ thought Quistis. _I saw the look in his eyes._ She said nothing as Seifer continued to speak.   
  
    "That's when she," he said pointing to Quistis, "ordered the other SeeDs to stay back and then jumped in." He said the last remarks with a dry kind of sarcasm that was reminiscent of his days in class, but he was loath to admit to himself that there was also a tinge of respect in there as well. "She used the Hyperion that Matron had brought, and she battled Seifer number two until he was forced to withdraw, then she helped me take care of Matron." He opened his arms in frustration. "There, does that 'report' match up enough for you?"   
  
    "Yes Seifer it does," replied Cid. "Thank you."   
  
    Throughout the entire account Quistis had remained impassive, but now she looked up slightly and caught Seifer's gaze. Another questioning look flickered briefly over her features as she tried to read him. He looked away. He had been unable, even, to protect Matron. _My Sorceress,_ corrected an unbidden voice in his mind. He shooed it away, knowing that it was only a shard of a broken dream.   
  
    His mind was also filled with thoughts of Quistis, and how she had fought so competently and so... he struggled for the words... savagely? Perhaps. The fury of her attack had certainly caught his past-self off guard, and the grace and skill with which she wielded the gunblade was nothing short of breathtaking. Particularly given the fact that she was doing all this in nothing but a night dress. It was true she was no slouch with the gunblade before, her position as instructor had demanded that she be proficient with most weapons, but she had clearly been devoting more time to developing her skills.   
  
    The room was filled with silence again as each of the occupants lost themselves in their thoughts. After a while, Cid cleared his throat. "The truth is," he said, spreading his hands, "That I'm not entirely sure how we should proceed in this matter. What's the status with the other Garden officials?" he asked, turning to Squall.   
  
    "Headmaster Coleridge on Galbadia Garden has been notified and they're on their way out here to help us repair the engines sufficiently to return to Balamb. They're leaving a situation team in Esthar to deal with things there, but from what I've heard the wreckage of the duplicate Garden is still too dangerous to enter, even with robotic equipment. It'll be a while before we get any answers there," he folded his arms as he continued to speak. "I asked Zell, Selphie and Irvine to remain where they are in Trabia until we know more."   
  
    "I can't imagine that's an easy thing for them to do," nodded Cid. "But I think you're right to ask them to stay. With things the way they are we need good people watching all the Gardens."   
  
    "Can I make a suggestion?" said Nida, cutting in. "I think our biggest priority right now is to find this impostor-Seifer before he causes any more chaos, but we can't do anything until G-Garden arrives. We need to get the Ragnarok back in the air," he said. "Right now she's going to be our most powerful tool for searching him out and re-capturing him."   
  
    "Agreed," replied Cid. "We'll send a team out in one of the remaining sea vessels with repair equipment. They can dock at Balamb and get the ship in the air. Quistis, if you're feeling well enough you'll lead that team."   
  
    A mildly shocked look crossed her features and her gaze flitted to Squall and back again before Quistis nodded carefully. "Yes sir, I'm fine. I'll assemble a team and leave right away with your permission."   
  
    "We'll notify you via comm if anything else comes up," nodded Cid. "Dismissed."   
  
    Quistis gathered her report documents together and slid out of her chair. When she reached the door she realised that Seifer had also risen and was following her. She turned to look at him.   
  
    "Where are you going, Seifer?" asked Cid, his voice a mixture of amusment and concern.   
  
    "I'm going with her," replied Seifer, not even bothering to turn around but instead catching Quistis' concerned gaze.   
  
    "Sir, I don't.." began Nida, but Seifer held up his hand and turned to face them.   
  
    "I'm not sitting around in Garden for the rest of the show," he replied, another hand gesture ensured he remained uninterrupted. "Now if you don't trust me out on a mission you might as well put me back in that brig."   
  
    "Do I trust you Seifer?" The Headmaster said, leaning back in his chair. "Seifer, if you think the answer to that question is anything other then no, then you're being a little naive."   
  
    "Glad to see we understand each other," retorted Seifer with a small grin, "But if Quistis is the first to go after my double, then she'll need me around to help with the hunt."   
  
    Cid shrugged, his hands clasping the arms of the leather chair. "I'm aware of that. I am also aware that your reckless actions last night show your attitudes to procedure and authority haven't changed. That may turn into a problem."   
  
    _You have no idea what's changed,_ thought Seifer, bitterly - but the mask of indifference remained.   
  
    "However," continued Cid, "I am willing to let Quistis make the call on this one."   
  
    All eyes in the room turned to the slim figure at the doorway. For her part, Quistis seemed un-phased. She looked over at Seifer. For a few long moments there was silence in the room as she appeared to consider her options.   
  
    Seifer finally broke it. "So? Think you can handle me inst..." he stopped himself instantly as her eyes hardened. He raised a hand as if he was going to correct himself but no sound came from his mouth and the hand fell to his hip, redundant. Quistis turned, her hand reaching out and switching the release for the door. Seifer watched as she set off down the corridor, her loose hair sliding over her shoulder as she glanced down at the repair work going on below. _Nice one,_ he thought to himself. _She's just been freed from the constant taunting of your chronologically impaired self, and you jump right in there. How many more chances are you going to blow?_ Just as Seifer was about to turn back into the still silent briefing room, Quistis glanced over her shoulder and raised an eyebrow - a twinkle in her eye betraying a certain amount of mirth. "We're leaving immediately, Seifer. Get a move on." Her lips curved almost imperceptibly into a smile before she turned and continued on her way.   
  
    Seifer blinked a few times. He turned back into the briefing room but only Headmaster Cid met his gaze. The older man shrugged. "You heard the _Commander_, Seifer," he said.   
  
    "Yeah," said Seifer, shaking his head and striding through the doors. They swished closed behind him. His eyes locked on Quistis' rapidly disappearing form.   
  
    "Hey," he shouted after her. "You're going to give me my stuff back, right?"   
  
    She turned the corner to the elevator corridor, momentarily catching his gaze before she slipped from view.   
  
    "...right?"   


* * * *

  
    Balamb Garden's newly installed sea vessel module was bustling with activity when Seifer finally entered. The module was designed so that when the Garden was partially submerged in the ocean, the main hanger doors would open at sea level and this was indeed the case. The eastern light of a climbing sun shone through the yawning gap of the doors and glittered - fragmenting into beautiful swirling patterns of light on the walls and railings of the unsurprisingly immaculate room. Suspended by a complex system of cranes were the high-speed vessels themselves. The module had a compliment of five such craft. The one that his past-self had stolen had since been replaced with the damaged vessel that Squall had arrived in from Balamb. Various personnel were hard at work, either repairing the crippled vessel, or preparing the expedition's vessel for launch.   
  
    As he made his way to the boarding gantry Seifer was not surprised to find that he was drawing a great deal of attention from the occupants in the room. He was getting used to the stares and the whispering, which, if anything, were much worse in the Garden then they had been on his travels six months earlier. Though he couldn't hear the murmurs of disapproval over the noise of machinery he knew they were passing back and forth. Normally he would catch the gaze of a few of his 'admirers' and see how long they would hold his eyes as he walked past, but he was in no mood for that now and kept his gaze fixed on the vessel in front of him. Evidently, the engineers had decided to raise the craft above water level for some last minute adjustments, as they were scrambling about on the crane that permitted them access to the underside of the craft.   
  
    Seifer had been delayed by the tedious procedure of removing a more advanced firearm from the Garden armoury - a process that required non-SeeDs to fill in vast amounts of paperwork. The weapon was now slung easily over his shoulder, however, and he was glad to have the extra stopping power at his disposal. He had refused to take up a gunblade, despite the fact that Garden had recently received an 'Aceracies' - an upgraded version of the Hyperion. Seifer had claimed this was because he was out of practice with the notoriously difficult weapons and didn't have time to re-train himself. _But there's a part of you that longs to feel a gunblade in your hands again isn't there?_ he mused, the clang of his steel boots on the metal below beating out a rhythm for his thoughts. _A part of you that you must never feed..._   
  
    The vessel was lowered into position as Seifer reached the end of the walkway and he watched as the sleek black form eased into the calm water below. He looked over to the front of the ship as the hatch to the gun turret opened and Quistis climbed out, pausing momentarily to enjoy the sunlight before beginning checks on the gun itself. She hadn't noticed him and he watched her for a few seconds as the targeting display lit up in front of her, bathing her in an orange glow. She appeared to pause for a few seconds, and though Seifer couldn't see her face he knew she was troubled by something. Suddenly, as if a switch had been flipped, she returned to her normal posture and clicked the display off.   
  
    "Expecting trouble?" called Seifer, his deep, clear voice ringing out across the module.   
  
    Quistis turned around and caught sight of him on the gantry. "Ah, Seifer, glad you've finally decided to join us," she said, clapping her hands on the railing of the gun turret.   
  
    Seifer shrugged.   
  
    Quistis shook her head. "Get on board," she said. "I'll meet you inside and introduce you to the rest of the team." With that, she disappeared down the hatch, and the door in front of Seifer slowly folded open to admit him into the craft. He took one last look around the module before ducking inside.   


* * * *

  
    Mist rolled in from an eerily quiet sea. The swirling vapour was so thick that the sunlight of the dawn could barely penetrate it. Dollet was a town of cold silence. The sounds that did penetrate the mist moved through it in strange ways, distorting the normal hum of the docks into a strained series of surreal cries. The few fishermen working the breakers didn't wonder too much at the strange, almost guttural, engine noises that wailed intermittently from the seas surrounding them, beliving that they were the distorted sound of the various fishing vessels that trawled Dollet's waters.   
  
    The noises soon cut out and were forgotten, but the deadly shape of the stolen Sea Vessel cut through the mist like a blade, it's movement a grim parody of the landing on Dollet beach a year ago. The past-Seifer had aimed the boat at a secluded part of the shingle, and it slid into position undetected, the stern deployment hatch yawning open as it did so. Striding out unchallenged into the biting tendrils of the mist came that tall figure. He was clothed in the heavy form of a Garden issue all-terrain great cloak, the vast garment draped over and concealing his arms, the hood drawn up to cast an impenetrable shadow over his face.   
  
    Not this time would he rush carelessly to battle over the sandy beach. As the sea vessel's autopilot took over and it banked away, coasting out to sea once more, the figure beat a steady pace through the gloom. 


End file.
